NEW YORK, USA (AFP) — Two-time defending champion Serena Williams was named the top seed yesterday for the US Open, the year’s final Grand Slam tennis showdown that opens Monday on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.

World number one Williams was also the US Open top seed in 2002 and 2013 and each time went on to win the title. She also won the US Open crown in 1999, 2008 and 2012.

Williams is a five-time Wimbledon and Australian Open champion as well and also lists two French Open titles among her 17 Grand Slam singles crowns.

French Open runner-up Simona Halep is seeded second after reaching a career-best ranking this month.

World number one Novak Djokovic, the reigning Wimbledon champion seeking his eighth career Grand Slam singles crown, was named the top seed on the men’s side with 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer, the five-time US Open champion, made the second seed.

Djokovic has played in the past four US Open men’s finals, winning the title in 2011. He downed Federer in five sets in last month’s Wimbledon final.