US OPEN
Men's favourites
Posted Fri, 25 Aug 2006

RAFAEL NADAL (ESP) - 22 - top seed

The reigning Olympic gold medallist is the favourite in New York despite his limited success in previous US Opens. Nadal has never made it to a Grand Slam hardcourt final but he is considered the world's top player and now has the ranking to go with it. He has captured eight titles this year and is trying to become the first since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in the same season. He won the gold medal in men's singles at the Beijing Olympics and is the top seed in a major for the first time in his career.

ROGER FEDERER (SUI) - 27 - second seed

This has not been a good year for Federer as he lost his number one ranking which he held for a record 237 weeks. But it is not too late to salvage his season with a win in the US Open. The four-time defending champion is two Grand Slams short of tying Pete Sampras' all-time record of 14. Federer won the gold medal at the Beijing Games in doubles but couldn't get past journeyman American James Blake, losing in the singles quarter-finals. Federer's 12 losses this year is his most in a season since he went 78-17 five years ago.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SRB) - 21 - third seed

The Australian Open champion is seeking his first win since May and would like nothing better than to do it here against world number one Rafael Nadal. Began his Grand Slam season with an impressive victory at the Australian Open. An excellent hardcourt player, Djokovic reached his first Grand Slam final at last year's US Open.

DAVID FERRER (ESP) - 26 - fourth seed

Doesn't have a great record on hardcourts this year (12-9) but pulled off one of the biggest upsets at last year's US Open by eliminaing Rafael Nadal to reach the semifinals for the first time in a Grand Slam. He followed up his success at the US Open with a title in Beijing and was a runner-up finish to Federer in the season ending Masters Cup.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO (RUS) - 27 - fifth seed

Davydenko has had good success at past US Opens having reached the semifinals here each of the last two seasons. Davydenko has three titles this year and is one of the few players to solve Rafael Nadal, beating the Spaniard in the Miami final.

AFP