Sport - Tennis

Hewitt, Capriati get top billing

PARIS May 21. World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt will be the top-seeded men's player at next week's French Open, event organisers said on Monday. Seedings for men are based on the ATP's rolling 52-week ranking system.

On the women's side, reigning champion Jennifer Capriati will be the top seed based on her No. 1 spot in the WTA Tour world rankings.

The French Open, the only Grand Slam tournament played on clay, runs from May 27 though June 9.

Hewitt, the U.S. Open champion, lost to Marat Safin in the quarterfinals of the Hamburg Masters last week. Safin was defeated in the final by Roger Federer, who is seeded eighth at Roland Garros. Andre Agassi withdrew from Hamburg following his victory at the Italian Open.

Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov is seeded fifth, followed by Tim Henman and three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten. The Brazilian is seeded seventh after slipping in this year's rankings.

Fellow American Venus Williams, who withdrew from last week's Italian Open with a wrist injury, will be seeded second, followed by her sister, Serena, and Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.

Monica Seles is seeded sixth followed by Yugoslav teen Jelena Dokic.

Martina Hingis, ranked No. 8 in the world, underwent ankle surgery Monday and is skipping the French Open, the only major title she hasn't won.

The seedings: Men: 1. Lleyton Hewitt (Aus), 2. Marat Safin (Rus), 3. Tommy Haas (Ger), 4. Andre Agassi, (U.S.), 5. Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Rus), 6. Tim Henman (GBR), 7. Gustavo Kuerten (Bra), 8. Roger Federer (Sui), 9. Thomas Johansson (Swe), 10. Sebastien Grosjean (Fra), 11. Juan Carlos Ferrero (Esp), 12. Pete Sampras (U.S.), 13. Andy Roddick (U.S.), 14. Jiri Novak (Czech Rep), 15. Guillermo Canas (Arg), 16. Younes El Aynaoui (Mar), 17. Carlos Moya (Esp), 18. Alex Corretja (Esp), 19. Thomas Enqvist (Swe), 20. Albert Costa (Esp), 21. Juan Ignacio Chela (Arg), 22. Marcelo Rios (Chi), 23. Andrei Pavel (Rom), 24. Fabrice Santoro (Fra), 25. Rainer Schuettler (Ger), 26. Tommy Robredo (Esp), 27. Max Mirnyi (Blr), 28. Nicolas Escude (Fra), 29. Nicolas Lapentti (Ecu), 30. David Nalbandian (Arg), 31. Sjeng Schalken (Ned), 32. Gaston Gaudio (Arg).

Women: 1. Jennifer Capriati (U.S.), 2. Venus Williams (U.S.), 3. Serena Williams (U.S.), 4. Kim Clijsters (Bel), 5. Justine Henin (Bel), 6. Monica Seles (U.S.), 7. Jelena Dokic (Yug), 8. Sandrine Testud (Fra), 9. Silvia Farina Elia (Ita), 10. Amelie Mauresmo (Fra), 11. Daniela Hantuchova, (Svk), 12. Meghann Shaugnessy (U.S.), 13. Elena Dementieva (Rus), 14. Iroda Tulyaganova (Uzb), 15. Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (Esp), 16. Barbara Schett (Aut), 17. Tamarine Tanasugarn (Tha), 18. Tatiana Panova (Rus), 19. Anastasia Myskina (Rus), 20. Patty Schnyder (Sui), 21. Anna Smashnova (Isr), 22. Magdalena Maleeva (Bul), 23. Anne Kremer (Lux), 24. Lisa Raymond (U.S.), 25. Daja Bedanova (Czech Rep), 26. Ai Sugiyama (Jpn), 27. Nathalie Dechy (Fra), 28. Alexandra Stevenson (U.S.), 29. Iva Majoli (Cro), 30. Amanda Coetzer (RSA), 31. Rita Grande (Ita), 32. Cristina Torrens-Valero (Esp).

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