Flushing Meadows, NY – World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka will be the top seed for the 2012 U.S. Open, which will begin Monday in New York.
The Belarusian star has been No. 1 for most of the year after capturing her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.
Azarenka is followed by Wimbledon runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, French Open champion Maria Sharapova, Wimbledon titlist and Olympic gold medalist Serena Williams, and 2011 Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. The former world No. 1 Russian Sharapova captured her lone U.S. Open title in 2006, while the American great Williams is a three-time U.S. Open winner and two-time runner-up.
Seeds six-through-10 will be German Angelique Kerber, reigning U.S. Open champ Sam Stosur of Australia, 2009 runner-up Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, former French Open champion Li Na of China, and 2012 French Open runner-up Sara Errani of Italy. Stosur toppled the former No. 1 Williams in last year's finale in Flushing.
Three-time U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters, who has won 21 straight U.S. Open matches, is the No. 23 seed in her final appearance in Flushing, while two- time winner Venus Williams will enter the draw as a non-seed.
The women's draw for the final major of the year will be revealed on Thursday.
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