& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

US Open starts today

AFP, New York
Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick are stealing the US Open spotlight in the absence of Broadway's most beloved tennis stars, Pete Sampras and the Williams sisters.
The year's final Grand Slam event opens here Monday on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts with a drama-filled men's lineup and a diminished women's field lacking top stars.
Sampras, who will retire in ceremonies here Monday, has reached the past three US Open finals. He defeated Agassi 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in last year's title match for his 14th Slam title in what was the final match of his career.
Six-time Slam champion Serena Williams beat her sister Venus here in last year's final, but both siblings are sidelined by injuries. For the first time since 1971, no singles champion will attempt to defend at the US Open.
"It's a blow for the tournament," Agassi said.
"You always want the best players there."
The Williams sisters have met in six of the past eight Slam finals and owned the US Open since 1998. Not having Serena slinking around the court in her 'Pink Panther' or 'Black Cat' outfits will steal some zing from the fortnight.
World number one Kim Clijsters of Belgium and her second-seeded compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne are heavy favorites to reach the final with the Williams sisters gone and their main rivals injured.
Third seed Lindsay Davenport pulled out of the New Haven WTA final Saturday with a left foot injury. That gave Jennifer Capriati her first title since the 2002 Australian Open, but the Open's sixth seed has a sore shoulder. And fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France has nagging back pain.
That leaves center stage to the men. Agassi seeks a ninth Slam crown while Roddick wants his first. French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain and Swiss Wimbledon champion Roger Federer want to prove one title was not a fluke.
Asian number one Paradorn Srichaphan, seeded 11th, seeks a breakthrough while Australian star
SEE PAGE 14 COL 4 FROM PAGE 13
Lleyton Hewitt, who has sunk to sixth in the seedings, wants to revive his once-mighty form.
Agassi, at 33, is the oldest man here and ever atop the ATP rankings. He also has the speed, stamina and return skills to capture a third US Open crown.
"It doesn't matter how old you are. It matters what you bring to the game," said Roddick, who has overtaken Agassi and Federer to lead the season-long ATP Champions Race.
Roddick, one week shy of his 21st birthday, has been the ATP's hottest player over the past five weeks, winning 20 of 21 matches and titles at Indianapolis, Montreal and Cincinnati to bolster his confidence.
"I probably didn't go into the last two Opens to win the tournament. I probably went in to make a good run," Roddick said.
"I definitely want to try to take this title. I know that's big talk but I've played pretty well.
"I feel like I kind of deserve my place as one of the top players, and hopefully it will translate into this some good tennis. I definitely want to try to step up to the occasion and play well."
Roddick is 30-2 since naming exAgassi coach Brad Gilbert as his new coach. But one of those losses came in a Washington semi-final to Britain's Tim Henman, who again stands in Roddick's path here in the
opening round.
"He's a very good player. That's where my focus is," Roddick said.
"He did a great job. He just played a solid match. He hit his forehand very well. That was one thing that really surprised me. He was dominating with his forehand."