Serena and Hewitt given top seed spots for U.S. Open

World number one's Serena Williams and Lleyton Hewitt were awarded the top seeds on Tuesday in the women's and men's draws for next week's U.S. Open.

The year's final grand slam event begins on Monday and runs until September 8.

Williams is the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion and is attempting to become the first woman to capture three grand slam titles in the same year since Martina Hingis did so in 1997.

The 20-year-old American, who captured her first Grand Slam title here in 1999, halted Hingis' streak of five consecutive U.S. Opens at which she was the top seed.

Switzerland's Hingis is seeded ninth this year.

Hewitt will try to become the first man since his Australian compatriot Patrick Rafter in 1997 and 1998 to defend his U.S. Open crown.

The world number one captured his second career grand slam title in July at Wimbledon.

In the women's draw, two-time defending champion Venus Williams -- Serena's sister -- received the number two seed and is followed by fellow Americans Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport.

This marks the first time since 1983 that Americans occupy the top four women's seeds.

Yugoslavia's Jelena Dokic is seeded fifth, followed by American Monica Seles and Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.

Amelie Mauresmo of France rounds out the top 10.

On the men's side, 2000 champion Marat Safin of Russia is the second seed.

Next is Germany's Tommy Haas, Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Britain's Tim Henman.

Andre Agassi, a two-time U.S. Open champion, is the sixth seed and Spaniards Juan Carlos Ferrero, Albert Costa and Carlos Moya occupy the next three spots.

Sebastien Grosjean of France rounds out the top 10 on the men's side.