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Yevgeny Kafelnikov will enter the French Open as the No. 1 seed and the top-ranked player in the world. AP

PARIS (AP) -- Yevgeny Kafelnikov will go into the French Open as the No. 1 seed despite a recent run of six consecutive first-round defeats, tournament organizers confirmed on Tuesday.

French Open seedings are based on the most recent rankings on the ATP and WTA tours, calculated late Monday.

That means that the 25-year-old Russian, who got to the top of the world rankings for the first time in his career in April, is top seed, with Pete Sampras taking the No. 2 spot.

Thanks to his runnerup placing in the Italian Open in Rome last week, Patrick Rafter moves up to No. 3, with French Open holder Carlos Moya at No. 4.

Kafelnikov has been in terrible form since winning the Australian Open in January and the Guardian Direct tournament in London a month later.

He only broke a run of six first-round losses on the ATP Tour in Rome, before being overpowered in the third round by Gustavo Kuerten.

Sweden's Thomas Enqvist moved into a seeded position after American Todd Martin withdrew Tuesday with a shoulder injury.

In the women's competition, Australian Open winner Martina Hingis is the No. 1 seed, ahead of Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles.

Defending champion Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario is seeded No. 7.

Julie Halard-Decugis' march to the final of last week's Berlin Open moves the French player up five places up the rankings, giving her a seeding for the first time in her long career.

But Australian Open finalist Amelie Mauresmo and Anna Kournikova have slipped out of the top 16 and will be unseeded at Roland Garros.

The $10.6 million event begins May 24.

French Open Seeds Men Women 1. Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Russia 2. Pete Sampras, United States 3. Patrick Rafter, Australia 4. Carlos Moya, Spain 5. Richard Krajicek, Netherlands 6. Alex Corretja, Spain 7. Tim Henman, Britain 8. Gustavo Kuerten, Brazil 9. Marcelo Rios, Chile 10. Mark Philippoussis, Australia 11. Karol Kucera, Slovakia 12. Greg Rusedski, Britain 13. Andre Agassi, United States 14. Felix Mantilla, Spain 15. Goran Ivanisevic, Croatia 16. Thomas Enqvist, Sweden 1. Martina Hingis, Switzerland. 2. Lindsay Davenport, United States. 3. Monica Seles, United States. 4. Jana Novotna, Czech Republic. 5. Venus Williams, United States. 6. Steffi Graf, Germany 7. Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Spain 8. Mary Pierce, France. 9. Nathalie Tauziat, France 10. Serena Williams, United States 11. Patty Schnyder, Switzerland 12. Sandrine Testud, France 13. Dominique Van Roost, Belgium 14. Amanda Coetzer, South Africa 15. Barbara Schett, Austria 16. Julie Halard-Decugis, France

 

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