Five-time champion Roger Federer and Venus Williams advanced into second round at the US Open, while newly-crowned Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova suffered first round exit on Monday.
Former champion Maria Sharapova survived a first-round scare before roaring back to beat British teenager Heather Watson 3-6 7-5 6-3 at the US Open on Monday.
French Open champion Li Na was upset 6-2 5-7 7-6 by Czech qualifier Petra Cetkovska in the semi-finals of the New Haven Open on Friday.
The US Open will start on Monday as planned after the National Tennis Center escaped serious damage from Hurricane Irene, officials said on Sunday.
The usual last-minute preparations for the US Open were aborted Saturday as Flushing Meadows was shut down in anticipation of Hurricane Irene, which hit New York this weekend.
Novak Djokovic faces the daunting prospect of possibly having to beat Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal to win the US Open for the first time and end the year as the world number one.
China's French Open champion Li Na beat the Russian 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the $618,000 WTA event on Wednesday.
Serbia's world number one Novak Djokovic was named on Wednesday, as expected, as the top seed for the Aug 29 - Sept 11 US Open.
Serena Williams was seeded a lowly 28th for the Aug. 29-Sept. 11 US Open as tournament organisers opted to rigidly follow the current rankings rather than reward her for outstanding past performances.
Russia's Maria Sharapova beat Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 4-6 7-6 6-3 to win the Cincinnati Open on Sunday and install herself as one of the favourites for the US Open.
Defending champion Kim Clijsters withdrew from the US Open on Friday because of a stomach muscle injury, throwing the race for the final Grand Slam title of the year wide open.
The once dominant top two in men's tennis, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, head into the US Open with much more than the formidable year of world No 1 Novak Djokovic to concern them.
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