Federer, Azarenka top seeds at tennis

LONDON (AFP) –

Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka practises during a training session at the Olympic tennis venue at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 24. Wimbledon champion Roger Federer and Australian Open winner Azarenka were named as top seeds for the Olympic tennis event on Wednesday.

Wimbledon champion Roger Federer and Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka were named as top seeds for the Olympic tennis event on Wednesday.

World number one Federer returns to the All England Club where he secured a seventh Wimbledon title this month and where he’ll hope to add Olympic singles gold to the doubles he won with Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka in 2008.

Beijing Olympic bronze medallist Novak Djokovic is seeded two with home favourite Andy Murray at three in the competition, which starts on Saturday.

David Ferrer was named as fourth seed and will lead the Spanish challenge in the absence of defending champion Rafael Nadal, who pulled out through injury.

Belarusian world number one Azarenka tops the women’s seeds, followed by 2012 Wimbledon runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.

French Open champion Maria Sharapova, who was Wimbledon champion in 2004, is seeded three followed by 2012 Wimbledon winner Serena Williams, who is also bidding for her third Olympic doubles title with her sister Venus.

Seeds

Men

1. Roger Federer (SUI), 2. Novak Djokovic (SRB), 3. Andy Murray (GBR), 4. David Ferrer (ESP), 5. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA), 6. Tomas Berdych (CZE), 7. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB), 8. Juan Martin del Potro (ARG), 9. Juan Monaco (ARG), 10. John Isner (USA), 11. Nicolas Almagro (ESP), 12. Gilles Simon (FRA), 13. Marin Cilic (CRO), 14. Fernando Verdasco (ESP), 15. Kei Nishikori (JPN), 16. Richard Gasquet (FRA)

Women

1. Victoria Azarenka (BLR), 2. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL), 3. Maria Sharapova (RUS), 4. Serena Williams (USA), 5. Samantha Stosur (AUS), 6. Petra Kvitova (CZE), 7. Angelique Kerber (GER), 8. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN), 9. Sara Errani (ITA), 10. Li Na (CHN), 11. Ana Ivanovic (SRB), 12. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK), 13. Vera Zvonareva (RUS), 14. Maria Kirilenko (RUS), 15. Sabine Lisicki (GER), 16. Nadia Petrova (RUS)