Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Tough US Open draw for Stosur

Updated August 24, 2012 12:37:19

If Samantha Stosur is to defend her US Open title she will do it the hard way with number one seed Victoria Azarenka and grand slam winners Kim Clijsters and Li Na all drawn in her quarter.

Stosur, the number seven seed at Flushing Meadows, meets Croatian Petra Martic in the first round - an opponent she beat in the first round at Madrid this season and is recovering from a foot injury - but the defending champion will not take her for granted.

"The first round of Grand Slams you are always a little nervous for sure," Stosur said. "I'm looking forward to getting out on the court. You have to make sure you don't take anything for granted.

"It's maybe just that little bit different this time. It's the first time I've been able to come back and try and defend a title and I'm looking forward to it.

"It's great to come back knowing you were the winner last year but of course there's a whole drawer full of players who want to try and do it this year."

Next for Stosur would be one of two qualifiers before her task should begin in earnest, possibly against in-form 31-seed Varvara Lepchenko, an adopted American by way of Uzbekistan, before a likely clash with Na or Clijsters.

Casey Dellacqua, who reached the semi-finals of the Texas Open before losing to Jelena Jankovic, will face a qualifier first up and if successful would meet Na next, if the former French Open winner beats Brit Heather Watson.

Clijsters may face Australian-born Laura Robson in the second round ahead of a meeting with Na.

Third-seed Maria Sharapova is in the same half of the draw, but on paper has an easier route to the semi-final.

Australia's other female entrant Jamila Gajdosova is in the same quarter and faces 19th-seed Nadia Petrova in the first round

Caroline Wozniacki (8) and Serena Williams (4) are the leading seeds in the third quarter, while dangerous unseeded Venus Williams is in the bottom half of the draw and may face sixth seed Angelique Kerber in the second round.

Tags: sport, tennis, united-states

First posted August 24, 2012 08:19:53


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