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Capsules on top women's players at the 2016 US Open

Posted August 27, 2016 7:00 am

By HOWARD FENDRICH

FILE - These 2016 file photos show, top row from left, Angelique Kerber, of Germany; Madison Keys, of the United States; and Petra Kvitiova, of the Czech Republic. Bottom row, from left are, Garbine Muguruza, of Venezuela; Serena Williams, of the United States; and Venus Williams, of the United States. (AP Photos/File) The Associated Press

Women to watch at the U.S. Open, which begins Monday:

SERENA WILLIAMS

Seeded: 1

Age: 34

Country: United States

2016 Match Record: 33-5

2016 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 71

Major Titles: 22 - U.S. Open ('99, '02, '08, '12, '13, '14), Wimbledon ('02, '03, '09, '10, '12, '15, '16), Australian Open ('03, '05, '07, '09, '10, '15), French Open ('02, '13, '15)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: '15-Lost in Semifinals, '14-Won Championship, '13-W, '12-W, '11-Lost in Final

Topspin: A year ago, came within two victories of first calendar-year Grand Slam since Steffi Graf's in 1988, but lost to Roberta Vinci in U.S. Open semifinals. ... Part of Williams' year's wait for her 22nd major singles title, which she got at Wimbledon last month, equaling Graf's Open-era record. Now seeks No. 23 at Flushing Meadows. ... Can become first woman with seven U.S. Open titles in professional era. ... Will tie Graf's record of 186 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in WTA rankings, but could drop from top spot after U.S. Open.

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ANGELIQUE KERBER

Seeded: 2

Age: 28

Country: Germany

2016 Match Record: 47-14

2016 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 9

Major Titles: 1 - Australian Open ('16)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: '15-3rd, '14-3rd, '13-4th, '12-4th, '11-SF

Topspin: Could have overtaken Serena Williams at No. 1 in the rankings by winning title on hard courts in Cincinnati this month, but lost in the final. Has another chance to move up to No. 1 for first time, depending on U.S. Open results. ... Very first Grand Slam semifinal appearance came at Flushing Meadows five years ago. ... Beat Williams in Australian Open final in January, then lost to her in Wimbledon final in July. ... Won silver medal at Rio Olympics.

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GARBINE MUGURUZA

Seeded: 3

Age: 22

Country: Spain

2016 Match Record: 28-13

2016 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 3

Major Titles: 1 - French Open ('16)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: '15-2nd, '14-1st, '13-Did Not Play, '12-1st, '11-DNP

Topspin: Won first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in June, beating Serena Williams in the final. ... One of three players who could take over from Williams at No. 1 after the U.S. Open. ... Has a 1-3 career record in New York, but her flat strokes and fearless style should work on the Flushing Meadows hard courts.

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VENUS WILLIAMS

Seeded: 6

Age: 36

Country: United States

2016 Match Record: 21-11

2016 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 49

Major Titles: 7 - U.S. Open ('00, '01), Wimbledon ('00, '01, '05, '07, '08)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: '15-QF, '14-3rd, '13-2nd, '12-2nd, '11-2nd

Topspin: Bowed out of Rio Olympics in first round of singles and doubles, but stuck around for mixed doubles and wound up earning a silver medal with Rajeev Ram. ... Experienced something of a renaissance at Wimbledon, making it to the semifinals at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since the 2010 U.S. Open. ... Last year at Flushing Meadows, made it to the quarterfinals before losing to her younger sister Serena.

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MADISON KEYS

Seeded: 8

Age: 21

Country: United States

2016 Match Record: 34-11

2016 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 2

Major Titles: 0 - Best: SF, Australian Open ('15)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: '15-4th, '14-2nd, '13-1st, '12-DNP, '11-2nd

Topspin: Coming off a semifinal run at the Rio Olympics and now settled into the top 10. ... Her power-based game, built around a big serve and forehand, would seem to be better suited to the U.S. Open's hard courts than her results have shown. ... Pulled out of the Connecticut Open tuneup tournament the week before Flushing Meadows with a bad neck.

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PETRA KVITOVA

Seeded: 14

Age: 26

Country: Czech Republic

2016 Match Record: 26-18

2016 Singles Titles: 0

Career Singles Titles: 17

Major Titles: 2 - Wimbledon ('11, '14)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: '15-QF, '14-3rd, '13-3rd, '12-4th, '11-1st

Topspin: The U.S. Open is the only Grand Slam tournament where she hasn't reached the semifinals. ... Won a bronze medal in singles at the Rio Olympics, looking quite comfortable on a slow hard court.

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Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

FILE - In this July 23, 2016, file photo, Venus Williams returns to Alison Riske during a semifinal in the Bank of the West Classic tennis tournament in Stanford, Calif. The U.S. Open tennis tournament begins Monday, Aug. 29. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this March 27, 2016, file photo, Madison Keys returns to Roberta Vinci, of Italy, during the Miami Open tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla. The U.S. Open tennis tournament begins Monday, Aug. 29. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this June 1, 2016, file photo, Spain's Garbine Muguruza returns the ball to Shelby Rogers during their quarterfinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris. The U.S. Open tennis tournament begins Monday, Aug. 29. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Aug. 21, 2016, file photo, Angelique Kerber, of Germany, returns to Karolina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic, during the finals of the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, in Mason, Ohio. The U.S. Open tennis tournament begins Monday, Aug. 29. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2016, file photo, Petra Kvitova, of the Czech Republic, plays a shot against Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships, in Melbourne, Australia,. The U.S. Open tennis tournament begins Monday, Aug. 29. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File) The Associated Press

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