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Hingis, Sampras seeded tops at US Open

World number ones Pete Sampras of the United States and Martina Hingis of Switzerland are the top seeds for the US Open starting next week, the United States Tennis Association announced.

With the exception of five-time US Open champion Steffi Graf of Germany, the USTA seeded the players according to the latest ATP and WTA Tour rankings.

Currently ranked 38th, Graf received the eighth seed on the recommendation of WTA Tour players. She missed last year's US Open after season-ending knee surgery.

Sampras, a four-time champion, regained the number one ranking from Chile's Marcelo Rios for the second time this year in the latest ATP rankings.

The 27-year-old Sampras captured his only Grand Slam title of the year at Wimbledon and has won just three events this year, after going unbeaten in eight finals in 1997. He lost to Petr Korda in the fourth round at last year's Open.

Sampras is the top seed at the US Open for the fourth time in his career. He was the top seed in 1994, 1996 and 1997 but won the annual Grand Slam finale in 1990, 1993, 1995 and 1996 -- only once as the top seed.

Sampras is tied with Bjorn Borg and his idol Rod Laver with 11 Grand Slam titles, one behind all-time leader Roy Emerson.

Last year, Hingis defeated Venus Williams in an all-teenage final, the youngest women's Grand Slam championship in the Open era. In addition, Hingis became the second youngest Open women's champion.

The reigning Australian Open champion, Hingis has won just four events this year and none since May. In 1997, the Swiss sensation claimed 12 titles and suffered five losses all year. This year, she already has lost nine matches.

Rios, who won just one match in two brief reigns as the world number one, is the men's second seed, followed by defending champion Patrick Rafter of Australia, Australian Open champion Korda and Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands.

Britain's Greg Rusedski, last year's runner-up, is seeded sixth, Alex Corretja of Spain seventh, resurgent former champion Andre Agassi of the United States eighth, Karol Kucera of Slovakia ninth and French Open champion Carlos Moya tenth.

American Lindsay Davenport, who could knock Hingis out of the world number one spot by winning her first Grand Slam title, is seeded second among the women followed by Czech Wimbledon winner Jana Novotna, French Open champion Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain and Williams.

Monica Seles is sixth followed by Spaniard Conchita Martinez, Graf, Irina Spirlea of Romania and Nathalie Tauziat of France.

The draw will be held on Wednesday.