NEW YORK (AP) - If Andy Roddick was hoping to ease into the U. S. Open, he won't get that chance.
A final between Roddick and no. 1 Andre Agassi is possible thanks to Wednesday's draw, but first things first. Roddick will start off with a tough match against Tim Henman -- the only player to beat him during the summer hard-court season.
"If Roddick gets through the first round, " United States Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe said at the draw ceremony at the United Nations headquarters, "he should be in very good shape to go on and win the Open."
Roddick leads the calender-year ATP Champions Race and with already 5 titles this year -- including 3 just this past month -- heads the list of men's favorite at the season's last Grand Slam tournament, which starts Monday.
Henman is coming back from a shoulder operation last November. He surprised everyone by nipping the seemingly invincible Roddick in the semis of the Washington Classic in spectacular fashion 1-6 6-3 7-6 (7-1). The No.1 Briton went on the win the title by sweeping Fernando Gonzales who had routed Agassi in the other semis of that tournament.
The British no. 1 was no.4 in the world rankings before the surgery.
STILL HOPING TO AVOID EACH OTHER
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marat Safin's late withdrawal from the U.S. Open a sliver of hope of avoiding each other in the first round of next week's American grand slam.
Roddick and Henman have been drawn to meet in the opening round of the $17 million tournament, but now they are just one high-profile injury away from dodging each other in the draw.
Safin's withdrawal on Thursday -- due to an ongoing wrist injury -- means the Russian 26th seed's place in the draw will be taken up by 33rd-ranked Juan Ignacio Chela.
Henman is next in the rankings at 34 and, if another seed pulls out before Sunday's final order of play, he will be elevated to a seeded position in the draw.
The Roddick-Henman clash is one of the most keenly-anticipated of the first round.
While Roddick is a strong favorite for the title, Henman has recovered from a shoulder injury, is hitting form, and beat the American on his way to his 10th career title on a Washington hard court earlier this month.
Tournament organizers said: "According to Grand Slam rules, 'Any vacancy created by the withdrawal of a seed shall be filled by the next highest seeded player in the Main Draw.'
"Safin's place in the draw (line No. 40) will be taken by Juan Ignacio Chela, ranked No. 33."
The 23-year-old Safin won his only grand slam title here in 2000 and has been plagued by a wrist injury this year, playing just once since April.
-- August 22, 2003