No Serena, but Wozniacki set to lead Open field

The loss of No. 1-ranked Serena Williams because of a foot injury robbed some glamour from the women's draw at the U.S. Open starting Monday at the National Tennis Center, but it also might have opened the way for the emergence of 20-year-old Caroline Wozniacki, Williams' replacement as the No. 1 seed.

Since her loss to veteran Kim Clijsters in the Open final last year, no woman has been on a hotter streak than Denmark's Wozniacki. She has won three of her past four tournaments, including Montreal and the Pilot Pen in New Haven in the past two weeks, leads the WTA with four titles and has risen to No. 2 in the world.

Wozniacki said Sunday that the No. 1 seed "is a big thing to me." But even though she's never won a major singles title, it's not as though she's undeserving of her status.

Asked about the pressure imposed by the top ranking, Wozniacki said, "Pressure is when you're put on the spot and you don't feel like you belong there, don't think you deserve to be there. I think I deserve to be where I am, and I think that I'm feeling really comfortable there."

The men's side of the "No Show-pen" also is missing a fairly important player, defending champion Juan Martin del Potro, who pulled a stunner last year when he upset Roger Federer to end his streak of five straight Open titles. Del Potro withdrew Aug. 24, saying he has not completely recovered from surgery on his right wrist in May. Federer begins his pursuit of a sixth U.S. Open against del Potro's fellow Argentine, Brian Dabul, in tonight's feature match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"Maybe there is extra incentive for me to try to win it again after being two points away last year," Federer said. "It was a disappointing loss for me. I felt like that was one of the finals I never should have lost. Del Potro played great and deserved the victory, but it was a tough one to swallow."

Federer comes in as the No. 2 seed behind Spain's Rafael Nadal, who never has won here but is going for his third consecutive major title. Nadal said he probably arrived in better form than even the previous two years, when he reached the Open semifinals.

Beyond those two on the men's side, England's Andy Murray, who beat Nadal and Federer to win a tournament in Montreal earlier this month, is in top form, and Serbia's Novak Djokovic is a threat. Andy Roddick, who tops the afternoon card against Stephane Robert of France, and Mardy Fish are the top American men.

Clijsters opens defense of her second Open title in the day's second match at Ashe Stadium against Hungary's Greta Arn, and Venus Williams, the top American woman, faces Italian Roberta Vinci at 7 p.m. at Ashe Stadium. Clijsters said it's a "very interesting U.S. Open" without Serena Williams in the field, but she praised Wozniacki as a deserving favorite.

"She moves well, she anticipates well and she can read an opponent's game really well," Clijsters said of Wozniacki. "For such a young girl and for someone who hasn't had so many experiences yet, she does that really well."

Despite playing four straight tournaments before the Open, Wozniacki said she feels extremely fit and fresh, and the results certainly have buoyed her confidence. Winning her first major would be a dream, and this is just the place to do it.

"I really like being here," Wozniacki said. "It definitely brings back good memories for me. I think the crowd is amazing, and it's a great atmosphere out there in the stadium."

Even without the prominent no-shows, there should be plenty to cheer again this year.