The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, New York

World number one Ana Ivanovic will face some notable obstacles in her quest for her first ever title at the US Open which begins next week.

The likelihood of an all-Serbian final between Ivanovic and second seed Jelena Jankovic is a distinct probability, considering that defending champion Justine Henin is now retired.

World number six Maria Sharapova is also skipping the event in order to recover from a shoulder injury meaning the US Open will crown a new women's champion for the fourth consecutive year. Sharapova won this event two years ago. Like Henin, Kim Clijsters, who won in 2005, is also retired.

The 2004 champ Svetlana Kuznetsova, of Russia, is the number three seed while Serena Williams is fourth at the event which runs from Monday to September 7 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.

Rounding out the top five is Russian Elena Dementieva who received a huge confidence boost by winning the ladies singles gold medal in the Beijing Olympics.

French Open runner-up Dinara Safina is the number six seed, and Wimbledon champion Venus Williams is the seventh seed.

The 20-year old Ivanovic opens her tournament against unseeded Vera Dushevina. She is seeking her second Grand Slam title after winning the French Open earlier this year.

But in order to get to the final, Ivanovic might have to face France's Amelie Mauresmo or the red-hot Safina who she could meet in the quarter-finals.

Since winning at Roland Garros, Ivanovic has struggled with injuries and even lost her number one ranking briefly to Jankovic before regaining it. She was forced to pull out of the Beijing Olympics with a hand injury.

Jankovic could turn an already solid 2008 into a superb season with her first ever Grand Slam title.

All eyes will be watching to see if she can overcome the jitters that have proved to be her undoing in previous Grand Slams.

The 23-year-old consistently plays well in the early stages but needs to bring her top form to the later rounds.

Last year she was eliminated in the quarter-finals and her best showing in the US Open was a semi-final appearance two years ago.

She reached the quarter-finals at the Olympic Games, marking the 14th time in 15 tournaments that she has reached the round of eight or better.

Serena Williams could meet sister Venus as early as the quarter-finals. They met in the final of Wimbledon this year.

But first Venus is going to have to get past her opening round opponent Samantha Stosur and Serena is going to have to topple unseeded Kateryna Bondarenko as two American sisters ended up in the same quarter of the bracket.