Sampras, Hingis top seeds for U.S. Open
Posted: Monday August 24, 1998 07:44 PM
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Repeat performer? Hingis beat Venus Williams in last year's final AP |
NEW YORK (CNN/SI) - Not surprisingly, world No. 1s Pete Sampras of the United States and Martina Hingis of Switzerland were named the top seeds for next week's U.S. Open, the USTA announced today in New York.
With the lone exception of five-time U.S. Open champion Steffi
Graf of Germany, the USTA seeded players directly according to
the latest ATP and WTA Tour rankings. Currently ranked 38th,
Graf received the eighth seed due to a recommendation from WTA
Tour players. She missed last year's U.S. Open after having
season-ending knee surgery.
Sampras, a four-time champion, regained the No. 1 ranking from
Chile's Marcelo Rios for the second time this year in the latest
ATP rankings. But he has not displayed the form that made
him the top-ranked player for five straight years.
The 27-year-old Sampras captured his only Grand Slam title of
the year at Wimbledon and has won just three events this year
after going unbeaten in eight finals in 1997. He lost to Petr
Korda in the fourth round at last year's Open.
Sampras is the top seed at the U.S. Open for the fourth time in his career AP | |
Sampras is the top seed at the U.S. Open for the fourth time in
his career, which has been somewhat of a bad-luck charm. He was
the top seed in 1994, 1996 and 1997 and has won the annual Grand
Slam finale in 1990, 1993, 1995 and 1996. He is tied with Bjorn
Borg and idol Rod Laver with 11 Grand Slam titles, one behind
all-time leader Roy Emerson.
Last year, Hingis defeated Venus Williams in an all-teenage
final, the youngest women's Grand Slam championship in the Open
Era. In addition, Hingis became the second-youngest Open women's
champion.
The Australian Open champion, Hingis has won just four events
this year and none since May. In 1997, the Swiss sensation
claimed 12 titles and suffered five losses all year. This year,
she already has lost nine matches.
Rios, who won just one match in two brief reigns as the No. 1
player, is the second seed, followed by defending champion
Patrick Rafter of Australia, Australian Open champion Korda and
Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands.
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