Federer, Henin to ease into US Open against qualifiers

Top seeds Roger Federer and Justine Henin will begin their respective US Open title defences against qualifiers.

After the draw made on Wednesday, the world number one pair were handed the potentially comfortable starts during a ceremony at the iconic Empire State Building.

Federer is fresh off a Masters Series trophy at Cincinnati at the weekend while Henin won in Toronto for her abbreviated Grand Slam tune-up.

The Swiss is aiming to become the first man to win the title four times in a succession since American Bill Tilden in the 1920s.

"I'm confident going into the Open, I want to try and keep the rhythm and go match by match," said the top seed, who beat Andy Roddick in last year's final.

"You need to get ready mentally for best-of-five-set matches."

Federer holds 11 Grand Slam titles, three shy of the all-time record of 14 by Pete Sampras.

The Swiss won the Australian Open and a fifth straight Wimbledon this year while losing the Roland Garros final to second seed Rafael Nadal in 2007

Federer is due to play another challenger by advancing into the second round and could face promising American youngster John Isner in the third.

He would face a potential quarter-final with 2003 winner Roddick.

Nadal opens with Australian Alun Jones, while number three seed Novak Djokovic heads a Serbia-Croatia clash with Mario Ancic recovering after six months out with a virus.

Women's defending champion Maria Sharapova, seeded second, will have gotten her sponsor fashion show duties out of the way for Monday's start, taking on Italy's Roberta Vinci.

Both Williams sister have signed on, though Serena has not played due to a thumb injury since Wimbledon. Venus played one event over the summer, reaching the quarter-finals in Carlsbad before claiming injury and staying away from the courts.

Serb Jelena Jankovic, seeded third begins with Jarmila Gajdosova.

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