What, too early for Maria jokes?

Contrary to what commentator Chris Evert says, Serena Williams is the GOAT. She, the Martinas, everyone else is out. But having said that, the odds are against Serena that she is going to win the US Open and complete the calendar year Grand Slam. The pressure build up is too great.

Sixteen of the Top 17 turn out this coming week for the Rogers Cup in Toronto, where world No. 1 Serena Williams will test the right elbow injury that has forced her to withdraw from her last two tournaments.

All 16 seeds receive opening-round byes, but some potential interesting second-rounders with (12) Pospisil vs. (WC) Haas, (4) Gasquet vs. the hot-handed Muller, break-up boy (6) Dimitrov vs. the resurgent Baghdatis, and (7) Lopez vs. (WC) Hewitt on his retirement tour…

Notes: Tough draws go to (1) Ferrer after a bye potentially vs. Baghdatis…Wildcards went to Brits Kyle Edmund and James Ward, American Taylor Harry Fritz, and German Alexander Zverev…

Serena’s draw to the semifinals could go through Stosur, last year’s finalist Errani then the former French champ Ivanovic to meet either Sharapova or Wozniacki in the semis…

Kei Nishikoi beat Santiago Giraldo in last year’s final…Returning former champs in the final are Nishikori (2014), Nadal (2013-11,’09-05), Verdasco (2010) and Robredo (2004).

A bunch of favorites fell Wednesday in Charleston.

Not a lot of floating talent in the field, with a potential tough start for (16) Watson vs. the riser Vekic; (1) Bouchard could face Stephens in the 3rd rd…Wildcards went to Bouchard and Americans Varvara Lepchenko, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sachia Vickery…

All the hubbub surrounds Serena, but Venus is not ending her boycott since last playing in 2001. “I made my schedule up,” Venus said about missing IW again. “I’m entered in Miami, and that’s pretty much what it is. I haven’t really given a lot of thought to it. I have just been focusing on this year…I just respect every decision [Serena] makes, pretty much. It’s nothing complicated about it.”

Nadal a question mark after a cramp-ridden semifinal loss on Saturday at the Rio Open…Not a lot of early challenges besides (7) Andujar opening against Almagro…Wildcards went to Argentines Guido Andreozzi, Renzo Olivo and Horacio Zeballos…David Ferrer beat Fognini in last year’s final…Nadal is making his first appearance in Buenos Aires in 10 years…Ferrer passes on the opportunity to win a fourth consecutive Buenos Aires title in a row…Returning former champs in the field are Almagro (2011), Robredo (2009), and Juan Monaco (2007).

…Venus Williams beat Cornet in last year’s final…Returning former champs in the field are Venus Williams (2014,’10-09), Kvitova (2013), Radwanska (2012), and Wozniacki (2011).

For Halep there were many secrets, secrets that could not be deciphered during the quarterfinal beatdown which ended in a second-set bagel.

Women’s Seeds: Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Petra Kvitova, Maria Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber, Eugenie Bouchard, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Sara Errani, Ekaterina Makarova, Lucie Safarova, Flavia Pennetta, Andrea Petkovic, Venus Williams

Notes: It’s the debut of the Premier 5 Series event in China…Victoria Azarenka pulls from the event with a foot injury, and announces she will miss the rest of the year…Potential tough starts include (1) Serena Williams after a bye vs. her nemesis Cornet, the struggling (6) Bouchard after a bye vs. the resurgent Peng, (4) Sharapova after a bye vs. countrywoman and former world No. 2 Kuznetsova, (5) Radwanska after a bye vs. the Venus/Garcia winner, (16) Petkovic vs. the comer (Q) Vekic, (12) Cibulkova vs. the big-hitting Keys, and (14) Safarova vs. the likewise big-hitting Lisicki…