{blackbabes} 3-time champ Serena Williams 28th seed at US Open

NEW YORK (AP)—Serena Williams has been seeded 28th for the U.S. Open, which is sticking with its policy of following the rankings instead of taking into account players' past performances.

Williams leads active women with 13 Grand Slam titles, including three at Flushing Meadows. She recently won consecutive hard-court tuneup tournaments at Stanford and Toronto.

A former No. 1, the American is ranked 29th this week. That's up from 175th in July, a few weeks after she returned to the tour following nearly a year off because of a series of health problems.

Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki is seeded No. 1, followed by Vera Zvonareva. Two-time reigning U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters, who is ranked No. 3, will miss the tournament with a stomach muscle injury.