Three Former Women Champs on Day 1 at US Open

FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY, USA -- Three former US Open champions, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Lindsay Davenport, make their 2006 US Open debuts Monday. Also in the mix are Top 10 stars Elena Dementieva, Nicole Vaidisova and Patty Schnyder. Here's a look at the key matches.

(2) Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) vs. Maria Elena Camerin (ITA) -- First Meeting

2003 US Open champion Henin-Hardenne has played only four summer hardcourt matches this year but looks to be in great form. Last week, she won all New Haven matches in straight sets to capture her fifth Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title of the year. But Camerin also posted some solid hardcourt results this year. Last week, she made the Forest Hills semifinals and a few months ago she had eight set points in the second set against Maria Sharapova in Miami.

(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) vs. Laura Granville (USA) -- First meeting

Dementieva came close to winning her first Grand Slam title here two years ago but Svetlana Kuznetsova stopped her in the final. The Russian enters the Open this year with great preparation. She won Los Angeles and made the quarters of New Haven last week. Her first opponent, Granville, made the third round at Los Angeles but hasn't posted any other big results this year.

(6) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. (Q) Sandra Kloesel (USA) -- Kuznetsova leads 1-0

After a two-month break from Tour competition due to an abdominal muscle injury, Kuznetsova made a nice comeback last week by making the semifinals at New Haven. The Russian captured her lone Grand Slam title here two years ago but lost in the first round the following year. She beat Kloesel once on the red clay courts of Warsaw and enters this match-up as the huge favorite. Kloesel hasn't played a Tour match since Stockholm and her last Tour victory was three months ago at Rabat.

(7) Patty Schnyder (SUI) vs. Anna Smashnova (ISR) -- Series tied at 3-3

This will be an interesting match-up because Schnyder and Smashnova have lots of history. The Swiss won the most current meeting this year at Berlin but the Israeli won all three previous encounters, including one on hardcourt. Both posted some impressive results in recent weeks. Schnyder made the semis of Cincinnati and San Diego and advanced to the final at Stanford. Smashnova made the final at Forest Hills last week and won Budapest last month.

(9) Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) vs. (WC) Chanda Rubin (USA) -- First meeting

Czech teen Vaidisova is looking for her first Grand Slam title. The 17-year-old turned heads by making the semifinal of Roland Garros this year. She also reached consecutive semifinals at Stanford and San Diego but retired in Montreal due to a right shoulder injury. Rubin has suffered from knee and ankle injuries this year and hasn't won a Tour singles match.

(10) Lindsay Davenport vs. Klara Zakopalova (CZE) -- First meeting

Davenport just made her first final of the year last week at New Haven. The American veteran beat Amelie Mauresmo in straight sets but had to retire in the final due to a right shoulder strain. If she's healthy, the 1998 US Open champ shouldn't have much trouble with Zakopalova. The Czech withdrew from Forest Hills with sinusitis and hasn't played a summer hardcourt match yet.
-- WTA