This year’s US Open champion Serena Williams also pulled out of the tournament with a stomach muscle injury.

Ivanovic was scheduled to play a dead rubber against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the last match of the day. Williams was expected to play Elena Dementieva for the second semifinal berth in the Maroon Group.

Ivanovic’s place in the round robin draw will be filled by first alternate Agnieszka Radwanska, while Dementieva will face second alternate Nadia Petrova.

Because of Serena Williams’ withdrawal, Elena Dementieva will advance to the semifinal round.

The round robin draw for the 2008 season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar was announced on Sunday.

The eight singles competitors have been divided into two sections, the White group and the Maroon group. White and maroon are the colors represented in the Qatari flag.

World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic is in the White group, along with Ana Ivanovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and Vera Zvonareva.

Dinara Safina will compete in the Maroon group, which also includes Elena Dementieva, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams.

WHITE GROUP (Number denotes seeding)
1. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
4. Ana Ivanovic (SRB)
6. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
8. Vera Zvonareva (RUS)

MAROON GROUP (Number denotes seeding)
2. Dinara Safina (RUS)
3. Serena Williams (USA)
5. Elena Dementieva (RUS)
7. Venus Williams (USA)

During the first four days of competition, each player competes against the other three players in their group, with the Top 2 in each pool of four moving on to the semifinals. The first-placed player in the White Group will play the second-placed player in the Maroon Group in the semifinals, and vice versa. The winners of each semifinal will then meet in the championship match.

Because of the round robin format, two alternates will be in Doha in the event of a player withdrawal. This year’s first alternate is Agnieszka Radwanska, followed by second alternate Nadia Petrova.

The doubles event at the Sony Ericsson Championships, which features four teams, is a single elimination draw, beginning with the semifinal round.

Please visit the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour website for an updated copy of the draw throughout the tournament.

Check back at On the Baseline on Monday for an analysis of the singles round robin draw and the launch of our Pick the Winners contest!

It has been a long six years since Venus Williams competed at the season-ending WTA Tour Championships.

The 2008 Wimbledon champion is next in line to qualify, but the results of a nineteen year-old from Poland will settle the field for the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2008.

By virtue of winning last week’s Tennis.com Zurich Open in Switzerland, Venus Williams nearly assured herself of a spot in the season-ending event. She has not competed at the tournament since 2002, and is eager to play in Doha next month.

“I haven’t managed to play at the championships since 2002 so obviously I’m excited to be healthy enough to play there this year,” said Williams after winning in Switzerland.

As of October 20, Venus Williams held 2522 Race To The Sony Ericsson Championships points, just seven more than Maria Sharapova. Sharapova has taken herself out of contention for the Doha Championships because of a lingering shoulder injury. Ironically in 2007, Sharapova’s entry into the Championships was assured because of the withdrawal of Venus Williams, who pulled out with an unspecified illness.

Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska is the one player who could potentially vie with Venus Williams and Vera Zvonareva for a spot in the singles competition.

It will not be easy for the teenager who must win this week’s Generali Ladies Linz in Austria, as well as enter and win next week’s Bell Challenge in Quebec City, Canada. If Radwanska loses a match at either event, Williams and Zvonareva will automatically qualify as the final two singles competitors.

Not only is a magnificent Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabrio on the line at the Tier II tournament, but also the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour No. 1 ranking.

Current world No. 1 Serena Williams is scheduled to headline the event and is competing for the first time since she won the US Open.

Williams returns to action just in time as Sunday’s China Open champion Jelena Jankovic has crept up to within twenty-one points of her on the rankings. Although Jankovic would enjoy a new Porsche in her garage, recapturing the top spot would only help make the victory—and car—more enjoyable.

In total, eight members of the current Top 10 are scheduled to play at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

Williams leads the stellar field as the top seed, followed by Jankovic, Tokyo winner Dinara Safina, Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, Vera Zvonareva, and Agnieszka Radwanska. Serena and Venus are on opposite sides of the draw and could only meet in the championship match.

For more information about Stuttgart or to view the main draw, please visit www.porsche-tennis.de.

Americans enjoying the Labor Day holiday will have two familiar faces to cheer for on Monday at the US Open.

Venus and Serena Williams will compete in the round of sixteen for a chance to face each other next in the quarterfinals.

Aaress’ Picks for Monday

Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)[9] v. Venus Williams (USA)[7]
Agnieszka Radwanska is developing quite a reputation as a giant-killer, so this match could get interesting. Her most notable victim was defending champion Maria Sharapova at last year’s US Open, and now she is up against the defending Wimbledon champion Venus Williams.

Venus has looked solid over the past three rounds and her serve remains one of her biggest strengths. She won’t have to worry about being overpowered by Radwanska, but still needs to be wary of the young Pole who loves taking balls early on the rise.
Venus Williams in two sets

Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) v. Dinara Safina (RUS)[6]
Anna-Lena Groenefeld has made the final sixteen in what has been one of the biggest, but still welcome surprises at this year’s tournament. Ranked at No. 141, the former Top 15 player has been through some tough times both on and off the court for the past two years.

Her play has improved dramatically since arriving in Flushing Meadows, as she has yet to drop a set in six qualifying and main draw matches. She’ll face her toughest test on Monday against the hottest player on the WTA Tour, Dinara Safina. Safina is an old hand at escaping in close matches, but this one probably won’t go past two sets.
Dinara Safina in two sets

Please go here to view the complete schedule of play for Monday.

She Said What?

Jelena Jankovic about trying to regain the No. 1 ranking:
“Yeah, it’s a goal, but I want to win a Grand Slam. Of course, by winning a Grand Slam I will regain the No. 1 ranking again, and that is something I want really bad. I will try my best to achieve that.

I’ve been injured. I had a tough time this year, and finally I’m feeling good at the moment. I don’t have any problems, and I don’t want to ask for anything else. I just want to go out there and enjoy my tennis.

I’m happy that I’m getting better and better every time, and so that is the most important thing. Hopefully I can continue in this way, and I think I’m on the right track.”

What Else is Happening in Flushing Meadows?

Amputee ball girl a huge hit
Ball girl Kelly Bruno is making history at the US Open.

USA Television Schedule for Monday

All times are Eastern.
Fourth Round - CBS - 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fourth Round - USA - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Fourth Round - CBS - 9:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Don’t forget to enter On the Baseline’s Pick the Winner’s contest! The entry deadline for Monday’s featured match is 10:00 am ET.

The United States Tennis Association announced the 2008 US Open main draw on Thursday at The New York Times Center in New York City.

All the best players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour are headed for Flushing Meadows, with the notable exception of Maria Sharapova. The 2006 champion has withdrawn because of a shoulder injury.

The top half of the draw contains world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic, Serena Williams, Dinara Safina, Venus Williams, Agnieszka Radwanska, and Amelie Mauresmo.

Former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic is leading the second half, along with Svetlana Kuznetsova, Beijing gold medalist Elena Dementieva, Vera Zvonareva, Anna Chakvetadze, and Lindsay Davenport, who is playing in her first US Open since giving birth to son Jagger in 2007.

Venus and Serena Williams could potentially meet in the quarterfinals, spoiling an opportunity for an all-Williams championship match.

First Look at the Top Eight Seeds

(1) Ana Ivanovic (First Round: Vera Dushevina)
Ana Ivanovic heads to the US Open as the top seed for the first time in her career, but her run might be spoiled early by a thumb injury, which also forced her out of the Olympics. According to Ivanovic’s official website, she has brought her doctor with her to Flushing Meadows.

Ivanovic is assured of remaining in the top spot until the end of the two-week tournament, but the Serb needs a solid run to help her stay ahead of the three or four women aiming to end the season as No. 1. Ivanovic has a very difficult draw that could include a third round meeting with Amelie Mauresmo.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

(2) Jelena Jankovic (First Round: Coco Vandeweghe)
Unlike her younger countrywoman, Jelena Jankovic still has some unfinished business to settle this season. This is her last chance to reach a Grand Slam final in 2008, an achievement needed to help justify her rise to number one.

Jankovic has an uncanny ability to choke or get injured in big matches, something that must stop if she wants to be considered a serious contender. She lost nine straight matches to Justine Henin, but since Henin retired, Jankovic has not come close to winning the first major of her career.
Prediction: Semifinals

(3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (First Round: Qualifier)
Champions come and go, rankings rise and fall, and Svetlana Kuznetsova remains a consistent presence at the top of the women’s tour. That is not to say that Kuznetsova has been playing the best tennis of her career, because she emphatically has not. She lost in the opening round of the Olympics to Na Li last week and has only won two matches since Wimbledon.

Kuznetsova, the 2007 finalist at the US Open, is in the weaker half of the draw and should be able to make a decent run into the second week. Lucie Safarova lurks as a potential second round opponent, but Safarova is currently stuck in a slump of her own.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

(4) Serena Williams (First Round: Kateryna Bondarenko)
Fate dealt the Williams sisters a cruel blow because after Maria Sharapova withdrew, Venus and Serena landed in the same quarter of the draw. After the brilliant all-Williams final at Wimbledon, it’s hard to get excited for a Venus vs. Serena quarterfinal. Still, this is tennis and we are talking about the Williams sisters–not the most consistent of players–so it will be wise to take this just one match at a time.

Kateryna Bondarenko is not as dangerous as her sister Alona, but the younger Bondarenko sibling will head into this match with a score to settle. Venus and Serena cost the Bondarenko ladies a spot in the Beijing Olympic doubles final, something that is not easily forgotten. If Serena is sluggish in her opening match, unlikely given that she burned off any lingering rust last week in Beijing, Kateryna might be able to win a few games.
Prediction: Champion

(5) Elena Dementieva (First Round: Akgul Amanmuradova)
After Venus Williams denied her the gold medal eight years ago in Sydney, Elena Dementieva finally tasted a major triumph Sunday at the Beijing Olympics. Could this give her the motivation to take her career a step further by winning a Grand Slam? That is anyone’s guess, but I still believe that Dementieva has a major victory deep inside her.

The time is ripe for a Dementieva victory, especially with the absence of Henin and Sharapova. She has an excellent draw and could easily reach the quarterfinals against Svetlana Kuznetsova–if her erratic countrywoman makes it that far. Jelena Jankovic lurks in the semifinals, but after playing six matches in a row, Jankovic might be walking wounded again.
Prediction: Runner-up

(6) Dinara Safina (First Round: Qualifier)
The one blip on Dinara Safina’s stellar summer results was the Beijing Olympic final, albeit she did push Dementieva to three sets. She reached her first major in May at the French Open and although that was on clay, Safina is an agile all-court player, more than capable of winning a major on hard courts.

Safina is in the star-studded first half of the draw, but not in the same quarter as Venus and Serena. Given the uncertain status of Ivanovic’s thumb, Safina would be favored to emerge out of the top quarter and into the semifinals.
Prediction: Semifinals

(7) Venus Williams (First Round: Samantha Stosur)
Out of all the top seeds, Venus Williams was handed the toughest opening match on paper. Australia’s Samantha Stosur is a former No. 1 doubles player, and a very capable foe in singles. Instantly recognizable by her ever-present sunglasses, Stosur could be capable of upsetting this year’s Wimbledon champion in the first round.

Venus has remarkably never lost at the US Open before the fourth round, but if she starts tentatively, history might be rewritten by the comeback Australian.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

(8) Vera Zvonareva (First Round: Barbora Zahlavova Strycova)
Zvonareva helped complete Russia’s sweep of the Olympic medals in Beijing by beating Na Li for the bronze medal. This season has been a remarkable comeback for Zvonareva. She has completely turned her career and on-court demeanor around, proving that she has what it takes to battle the best players in the world.

The Czech Republic’s Barbora Zahlavova Strycova is an unfamiliar face to many fans, but the twenty-two year-old enjoyed solid results as a junior, including two Australian Open singles titles.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

Other must-see first round matches include (23) Lindsay Davenport vs. Stanford champion Aleksandra Wozniak, (24) Shahar Peer vs. Na Li, and (32) Amelie Mauresmo vs. Nathalie Dechy.

To view a real-time copy of the 2008 US Open draw, please visit www.usopen.org. On the Baseline’s live coverage of the tennis season’s final Grand Slam begins next week!

Two former gold medalists are in the singles draw, Americans Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams. Throw into the mix nine-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and you have a formidable Team USA competing for glory in Beijing. However, the United States’ toughest competition will likely come from Serbia, a small country hoping for a monumental victory at the hands of Ivanovic or Jelena Jankovic.

Professional tennis has been dominated by the Russians for the past four years, so it would be wise to keep an eye out for Russia’s quartet of Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva, Dinara Safina, and Vera Zvonareva.

The host nation of China has been preparing for this competition since the Games were awarded to their homeland seven years ago. Jie Zheng’s semifinal finish at Wimbledon breathed new life into the struggling Chinese tennis program, which is eagerly awaiting another impressive performance by its home crowd favorite.

Notable athletes missing in the draw include three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova, 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon winner Amelie Mauresmo, and world No. 10 Anna Chakvetadze.

First Look at the Top Eight Olympic Seeds

(1) Ana Ivanovic (First Round: Mariya Koryttseva)
She will no longer be the best tennis player in the world when the competition commences on August 10, but Ana Ivanovic received the benefit of being the top seed as a consolation ranking prize. This spared her from the tougher second half of the draw, which includes Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and Dinara Safina. Ivanovic’s first challenge at the Games will likely be in the quarterfinals against eighth seed Agnieszka Radwanska.
Prediction: Semifinals

(2) Jelena Jankovic (First Round: Cara Black)
Monday signals a memorable day in the life of Jelena Jankovic. Not only will her first Olympic competition begin, but she will also assume the No. 1 ranking. Much has been made of Jankovic’s lack of No. 1 credentials, so a victory in Beijing would help silence her critics. It will not be easy for the new world number one, especially if she sets up a quarterfinal meeting with US Open Series winner Dinara Safina. If Jankovic ousts Safina, she might be awarded a semifinal match against Kuznetsova or Venus Williams.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

(3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (First Round: Na Li)
Svetlana Kuznetsova has not managed to win anything noteworthy for four years, so she is theoretically due for a big win. Will it come in Beijing? The competition is played on hard courts and is very similar to the surface at the US Open, which Kuznetsova won in 2004. She has a tricky draw, and will be vulnerable for a first round upset by Chinese hopeful Na Li.
Prediction: First Round

(4) Serena Williams (First Round: Olga Govortsova)
The only thing missing from Serena Williams’ trophy collection is an Olympic singles gold medal. She won the doubles competition with Venus in 2000 at the Atlanta Games, but missed Athens because of a knee injury. Ironically, four years later, a knee injury is threatening her Olympic performance yet again. Serena’s biggest competition is likely to come from her sister Venus, who she could only face in the championship round.
Prediction: Silver Medal

(5) Elena Dementieva (First Round: Kateryna Bondarenko)
A silver medalist at the Sydney Games, Elena Dementieva still dreams of taking her career one step further. While a Grand Slam victory has also remained out of her grasp, a gold medal at the Olympics might be a fraction easier. She is in the weaker top half of the draw, safely away from her countrywomen Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina. Elena could face Daniela Hantuchova in the third round, but the Slovakian star has spent much of 2008 on the injured list because of a stress fracture in her right foot.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

(6) Dinara Safina (First Round: Mara Santangelo)
Dinara Safina has been the hottest player on the Tour this summer and recently captured back-to-back hard court wins in the United States before heading to Beijing. A potential second round meeting with Atlanta gold medalist Lindsay Davenport looms, but given Safina’s form, she would be favored to end Davenport’s comeback dream once and for all.
Prediction: Bronze Medal

(7) Venus Williams (First Round: Timea Bacsinszky)
The last time Venus was spotted on a professional tennis court, she was jubilantly hoisting the Wimbledon trophy. Rest was at the top of Venus’ priority list after winning her fourth Championships title, so it will be interesting to see what her form and fitness looks like after taking an extended summer vacation. Venus will have a chance to burn off any lingering rust during the opening rounds before setting up a potential quarterfinal against Kuznetsova. If she plays anything like the way she did at Wimbledon, Venus will be unstoppable en-route to her second Olympic singles gold medal.
Prediction: Gold Medal

(8) Agnieszka Radwanska (First Round: Yung-Jan Chan)
Radwanska has been playing the best tennis of her career this season and will be a dangerous floater in the draw. Because of Maria Sharapova’s withdrawal, Radwanska is entrenched in Ana Ivanovic’s quarter and has been awarded the eight seeded position. The Polish teenager pushed Ivanovic to three sets at the Australian Open in January and has a solid enough game to upset the top seed in the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

To view a copy of the 2008 Olympic women’s singles tennis draw, please visit the International Tennis Federation website.

Kuznetsova held a set and 4-1 lead in the third set, but could not close out the match for a spot in the quarterfinals.

This has been a devastating Grand Slam for the tournament’s top four seeds. Second seed Maria Sharapova lost in the second round, top seed Ana Ivanovic fell in the third, and third seed Jelena Jankovic fell along with Kuznetsova in the fourth round today.

In an earlier match on day seven at the Championships, Serena Williams defeated her countrywoman Bethanie Mattek in straight sets. Williams, a two-time former champion at Wimbledon, needed just over one hour to defeat Mattek 6-3, 6-3.

Radwanska will play Serena Williams in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Although the Slovakian star reached a career high of No. 5 five years ago, she has never previously been past the quarterfinal round at a major.

Hantuchova’s fortunes changed for the better at Melbourne this season, launching her into the final four after wins over Radwanska, Maria Kirilenko, Virginia Ruano Pascual, Alize Cornet, and American Vania King in the first round.

Agnieszka Radwanska debuted in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam also this week in Melbourne, and despite her loss, the Polish teenager is assured of reaching a new career high when the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings are updated on Monday. Radwanska is projected to move from No.28 to No.21.

Ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova awaits the winner of the final quarterfinal match between No. 4 Ana Ivanovic and No. 8 Venus Williams in the semifinals.

The Polish teenager played some of the best tennis of her career on Saturday at the Australian Open and defeated second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

Radwanska previously stunned Maria Sharapova in the third round of the US Open in 2007.

Kuznetsova looked tired and sluggish, and her game was littered with errors. The match lasted only seventy-seven minutes, but the world No. 2 posted thirty-six unforced errors and only had a 54% first-serve percentage.

“This is a pretty tough loss because I think I’ve been in the best shape ever in Australian Open,” said Kuznetsova after the match. “I just didn’t make it work.”

Also failing to advance on Saturday was sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze, who lost to her countrywoman Maria Kirilenko 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-2.

Only two courts, Rod Laver and Vodafone, have been used so far today because of rain.