AN ATP MASTERS SERIES EVENT
11th - 19th OCTOBER
ATP News : 2006
US Open Draw: Winners & Losers
Andre Agassi has been handed a difficult draw in his farewell US Open appearance. The unseeded two-time former champion will play Romania's Andrei Pavel in the first round
 www.atptennis.com. Should he survive that Agassi could play eighth seed and Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis. If Agassi keeps winning he could play ninth seed Andy Roddick in the fourth round.Agassi, who pushed Roger Federer to four sets in last year's US Open final, will be making his 21st consecutive appearance at Flushing Meadows. The 36-year-old eight-time Grand Slam champion will retire after this year's Open. Agassi has played just 15 matches this season (8-7) and a back injury has restricted him to just two appearances during the US Open Series. He reached the quarterfinals in Los Angeles and lost in the first round of Washington. Agassi enters the US Open unseeded for the first time since 1997 when he was ranked No. 63. In an interesting first-round clash, World No. 2 Rafael Nadal will play Australian wild card and 1998 finalist Mark Philippoussis. Nadal, who lost to James Blake in the third round last year, has the chance to gain ground on World No. 1 Roger Federer in the INDESIT ATP Rankings. As the defending champion, Federer has 1000 rankings points to defend. Philippoussis, who is 11-8 on the year, has not won an ATP-level match since winning the Newport title on grass in mid July. Top-seeded Federer, who is attempting to become the first player in the Open Era to complete the Wimbledon-US Open sweep for the third consecutive year, plays Chinese Taipei\\\'s Yeu-Tzuoo Wang in the first round. If Federer advances to the second round he will meet the winner of the all-British first-round showdown between Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski. (Federer defeated Henman in the second round of Wimbledon in late June). Unseeded Russian Marat Safin could play fourth seed David Nalbandian in the second round. Safin, the 2000 US Open champion, is chasing his first title since the 2005 Australian Open, 19 months ago. He plays Czech Robin Vik in the first round. Nalbandian, who in 2003 had one match point in the semifinals against eventual champion Roddick, opens against German Michael Berrer. The reigning Tennis Masters Cup champion has reached Grand Slam semifinals at the Australian Open and Roland Garros this year but has won only one title - Estoril, on clay. During a disappointing US Open Series Nalbandian lost in the first round in Toronto and the second round in Cincinnati. |