Williams sisters kept apart

The Williams sisters cannot meet until the final

The draw for the women's singles title will keep the Williams sisters apart until the final at the earliest.

Serena, the defending champion, has been placed in the bottom section of the draw - opening against Tina Pisnik of Slovenia - while Venus will take on France's Anne-Gaelle Sidot in the top half.

Venus Williams is the higher seed of the two - she is at number three, Serena is fifth seed.

Martina Hingis, a winner at Flushing Meadows three years ago, is the top seed and will begin with a first round tie against Alina Jidkova of Russia.

It is the four successive year that the Swiss world number one has been top seed for the US Open - last year she was beaten in the final.

Lindsay Davenport, who won the event in 1998, is seeded two and has been drawn against Gala Leon Garcia of Spain.

Anna Kournikova will take on the American Holly Parkinson.