Top players set for US Open test

Flushing Meadows, New York, 27 August-9 September

Serena and Venus Williams will mark an important tennis anniversary when the US Open begins on Monday in New York.

They play back-to-back evening matches after a ceremony marking 50 years since Althea Gibson became the first African-American to win the US title.

Earlier in the day, men's champion Roger Federer begins his title defence against American Scoville Jenkins.

Top seed Justine Henin faces German Julia Goerges. Maria Sharapova does not begin here defence until Tuesday.

But home hopes will be focused on the Williams sisters, who are the only seeded American women in the singles at Flushing Meadows.

Serena won her eighth Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in January, while elder sister Venus captured her sixth last month at Wimbledon.

Eighth seed Serena will face Germany's Angelique Kerber while 12th seed Venus will meet Hungarian qualifier Kira Nagy, both on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court (from midnight BST).

Federer is chasing his 12th Grand Slam singles title and his fourth consecutive US Open crown after winning his 50th career title last week at Cincinnati.

"I'm really happy with my form," he said. "Hopefully now I can start with a good first round win here.

"Goals for me are always to try to come back and defend the title. How I really won so many of my 50 titles is to play my best in the finals."

British number one Andy Murray, fit again after a wrist injury, is due in action in the third match on the Grandstand court against Uruguayan qualifier Pablo Cuevas.

Compatriot Tim Henman, who announced last Thursday he will retire next month, must wait until at least Tuesday before playing Russian Dmitry Tursunov in his Grand Slam farewell.

As well as Henin, women's third seed Jelena Jankovic also plays her first match, opening the morning session against Slovakia's Jarmila Gajdosova on the Arthur Ashe show court (1600 BST).

The Serb is giving the singles her full attention and will not be teaming up again with Britain's Jamie Murray after their Wimbledon mixed doubles success.

Jamie Murray will instead play with South African Liezel Huber, and will play his final event with American Eric Butorac in the men's doubles.

Also in action on the opening day are Russian men's fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko, impressive Serbian Ana Ivanovic, the women's fifth seed, and beaten Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli.

Warm, sunny weather is expected at least for the first three days of the event.

Source: BBC Sport