Andy Roddick Heads ATP Indianapolis Field

The RCA Championships in Indianapolis may have lost Andre Agassi, who pulled with his chronic back/nerve injury, but still has two-time defending champion Andy Roddick and a handful of "B"-squad Americans to keep fickle U.S. fans interested as the US Open Series kicks off.

Joining Roddick among the Top 8 seeds of the event's 16 total are Germany's Nicolas Kiefer, Slovak Davis Cup hero Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, Croatian D-Cup hero Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic, Belarus' Max "The Beast" Mirnyi, Brit "Grinning" Greg Rusedski, and Americans Taylor "Acci-" Dent and Vince Spadea.

All 16 seeds receive opening-round byes, but potential second-round encounters to note are (9) Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan vs. James Blake, (8) Spadea vs. Robby Ginepri in an all-American, (16) Mardy Fish returning from a wrist injury vs. Brit (WC) Andy Murray, and (4) Dent vs. the winner of (WC) "The" Donald Young and Jan-Michael Gambill.

Murray benefitted from the main draw wildcard once Agassi withdrew from the event.

In last year's final the top-seeded Roddick eased past the No. 12-seeded Kiefer in straight sets.

Returning champs in the field are Roddick (2004-03), Rusedski (2002), and Jonas Bjorkman (1997).

On court Monday in Indianapolis are Lisnard vs. Moodie, Ryderstedt vs. Ginepri, Carraz vs. Blake, Lu vs. Tursunov, and Dupuis vs. Popp.