Olympics: Bhupathi-Bopanna seeded seventh, Federer top seed

London, July 26: India’s men’s doubles pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna has been seeded seventh while Swiss Roger Federer, who reclaimed the top spot after winning the Wimbledon, has been given the top seeding in the men’s singles of the tennis competition at the London Olympics that gets under way here Friday.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced the seeds for the draw for the London Games based on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) world rankings released Monday.

Federer is a strong favourite to win the singles gold, the only medal that is missing from his glorius. Beijing Olympic bronze medallist Novak Djokovic of Serbia is seeded second while home favourite Andy Murray is third.

In the men’s doubles, the Bryan brothers of the US, Bob and Mike, are top seed while Frenchmen Michael Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are second. Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic are third.

Bhupathi and Bopanna have been seeded ahead of Serbian pair of Djokovic and Victor Troicki, who are eighth seed in the men’s doubles.

Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus tops the women’s seeds, followed by 2012 Wimbledon runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in seeded second.

Roland Garros winner Maria Sharapova of Russia is seeded third, followed by Wimbledon champion Serena Williams of the US at fourth.

Serena is bidding for her third Olympic doubles title with her sister Venus, who also captured singles gold at Sydney.

The seeds for the doubles are based on the combined rankings of each team, with each player using the higher of their singles and doubles world rankings.

Men’s singles:

1.Roger Federer (SUI)

2.Novak Djokovic (SRB)

3.Andy Murray (GBR)

4.David Ferrer (ESP)

5.Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

6.Tomas Berdych (CZE)

7.Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)

8.Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)

9.Juan Monaco (ARG)

10.John Isner (USA)

11.Nicolas Almagro (ESP)

12.Gilles Simon (FRA)

13.Marin Cilic (CRO)

14.Fernando Verdasco (ESP)

15.Kei Nishikori (JPN)

16.Richard Gasquet (FRA)

Women’s singles

1.Victoria Azarenka (BLR)

2.Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)

3.Maria Sharapova (RUS)

4.Serena Williams (USA)

5.Samantha Stosur (AUS)

6.Petra Kvitova (CZE)

7.Angelique Kerber (GER)

8.Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)

9.Sara Errani (ITA)

10.Li Na (CHN)

11.Ana Ivanovic (SRB)

12.Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)

13.Vera Zvonareva (RUS)

14.Maria Kirilenko (RUS)

15.Sabine Lisicki (GER)

16.Nadia Petrova (RUS)

Men’s doubles:

1.Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA)

2.Michael Llodra/Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

3.Janko Tipsarevic/Nenad Zimonjic (SRB)

4.Mariusz Fyrstenberg/Marcin Matkowski (POL)

5.Tomas Berdych/Radek Stepanek (CZE)

6.Roger Federer/Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)

7.Mahesh Bhupathi/Rohan Bopanna (IND)

8.Novak Djokovic/Victor Troicki (SRB)

Women’s doubles:

1.Liezel Huber/Lisa Raymond (USA)

2.Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci (ITA)

3.Maria Kirilenko/Nadia Petrova (RUS)

4.Andrea Hlavackova/Lucie Hradecka (CZE)

5.Angelique Kerber/Sabine Lisicki (GER)

6.Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina (RUS)

7.Flavia Pennetta/Francesca Schiavone (ITA)

8.Nuria Llagostera Vives/Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP)