Williams Sisters Could Meet In US Open Quarterfinals

Williams Sisters Could Meet In US Open Quarterfinals
By Anton Lagani, Lawn Tennis Correspondent, Posted: Friday, August 22, 2008 12:51pm CST USA

Williams Sisters Could Meet In US Open Quarterfinals, The 2008 US Open

Venus Williams and Serena Williams

NEW YORK (lawntennismag.com)- Tennis' final grand slam, the US Open, begins Monday at New York. The singles draws were released Thursday with former champion Venus Williams of the USA drawn to possibly meet her sister Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.

Both Williams sisters' rankings have dropped in recent years due to the

Serena Williams trails world number one Ana Ivanovic of Serbia by only 271 points.

shortened schedules due to injuries which have limited their play on the WTA Tour. Partly for this reason Serena Williams is seeded 4th while Venus Williams is seeded 7th.

However a quick look at the WTA Tour rankings reveals a very likely shakeup at the top after the US Open. Serena trails world number one Ana Ivanovic of Serbia by only 271 points. The winner of the US Open will be awarded 1000 rankings points, meaning there is a chance Serena could reach the top ranking after the US Open should she take the title.

Venus or Serena could meet red hot but mentally suspect Dinara Safina of Russia, seeded 6th in the semifinals. Safina won back to back hardcourt tournaments this summer after reaching the French Open final. In the bottom half of the women's draw, Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva of Russia, seeded 5th, could face 2nd seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in the semifinals.

In men's tennis, newly crowned world number one Rafael Nadal of Spain could meet 9th seeded James Blake in the quarterfinals. On the other side of the draw, former US Open champion and the top ranked American Andy Roddick, seeded 8th could meet world number two Roger Federer of Switzerland in the semifinals.