Both defending champions are back Friday for the US Open draw.

Maria Sharapova ran her record to a perfect 6-0 against Simona Halep today at the Singapore WTA Finals.

Notes: Strong seeding but not a lot of field depth…(4) Tomic will start against the Querrey-Baghdatis winner…Top 4 seeds receive opening-round byes…Wildcards went to Berdych, Swede Mike Ymer and Finn Jarkko Nieminen…Last year Berdych came from a set down to beat Dimitrov in the final…Berdych trying to become the first Stockholm back-to-back winner since James Blake (2005-06)…Former champs in the field are Berdych (2014,’12), Dimitrov (2013), and Baghdatis (2009).

Top-seeded Garbine Muguruza pulled from the event after winning Beijing, forcing a shuffle of the draw…(2) Kerber will start against the former Slam winner Schiavone…Seeds Kerber, Jankovic and Stosur received wildcards…Also pulling from the event were Victoria Azarenka, Eugenie Bouchard, Zarina Diyas, Sabine Lisicki, Ajla Tomljanovic, and Coco Vandeweghe…No former champs are in the field…In last year’s final Lisicki topped Karolina Pliskova.

Flavia Pennetta won a Grand Slam then announced her reitrement.

Serena hopes for history are over!

Serena will be the big favorite tonight in the women’s semifinals.

Federer navigated the first-set tiebreak easily, and ended the second-set dogfight tiebreak with a ridiculous screaming backhand down the line from outside the court. Isner challenged the call but to no avail. The Swiss broke Isner at 6-5 in the final set, the first time Isner has been broken at the US Open in 100+ service games stretching back to last year.

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.

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…

Notes: A Czech offensive in Prague with the first three seeds from the home country…(8) Giorgi starts against the resurgent Wickmayer…Wildcards were awarded to Czechs Denisa Allertova and Klara Koukalova, and Slovak Kristina Schmiedlova…Pulling from the event were former champ Magdalena Rybarikova and Carla Suarez Navarro…Pliskova is the top seed in singles and doubles…In last year’s final Brit Heather Watson beat Anna Karolina Schmiedlova…Former champs in the field are Watson (2014)and Safarova (2013-12).

Serena Williams will meet Timea Bacsinszky. Serena is 11-0 this year, the Swiss has won 15 straight matches.

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).