24 -- China's top female tennis players, Li Na and Zheng Jie, have been seeded at 24 and 29 in the 2006 US Open as the Grand Slam event announced its seeds Monday.

It is the first time ever that China has two seeded players in one Grand Slam event.

The women's top seed is world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo of France, the reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion, who will seek to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2003 to win three Grand Slam titles in one year. Following her are Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium and Maria Sharapova of Russia. World No. 2 Kim Clijsters of Belgium has withdrawn from this year's U.S. Open due to a wrist injury.

On the men's side, Roger Federer of Switzerland, Rafael Nadal of Spain, and Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia are the top three seeds.

(Shenzhen Daily/Agencies August 24, 2006)