Djokovic seeded No. 1 for U.S. Open

NEW YORK, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Novak Djokovic, who has won two Grand Slam events and has been beaten just twice this year, has been seeded No. 1 for the U.S. Open.

Djokovic, 24, has had amazing year. He has won nine tournaments, including the Australian Open and the Championships at Wimbledon. He's 57-2 in 2011, with the only losses coming to world No. 3 Roger Federer in the semifinals of the French Open and to No. 4 Andy Murray in the finals of the Masters event in Ohio.

He's also 5-0 this year against world No. 2 Rafael Nadal, the defending U.S. Open champion. Djokovic's 2011 record against Federer and Murray is a combined 5-2.

All that has made Djokovic, who is a two-time runner-up but has never won the U.S. Open, the favorite for the tennis year's final major tournament.

The U.S. Tennis Association's seedings for the U.S. Open follow the ATP rankings. The only player in the Top 33 not in the field is No. 29-ranked Milos Raonic, who is injured.

That puts Nadal in as the No. 2 seed with Federer third and Murray fourth. David Ferrer was seeded fifth with Robin Soderling sixth, Gael Monfils is in the No. 7 spot and Mardy Fish at eighth.

The draw for the tournament, which begins Monday, will be made later this week. The men's singles final is scheduled for Sept. 11.