The Associated Press

NEW YORK - If Andy Roddick were hoping to ease into the U.S. Open, he won't get that chance.

A final between Roddick and No. 1 Andre Agassi is possible thanks to Wednesday's draw. But first, Roddick will start off with a tough match against Tim Henman - the only player who beat him during the summer hard-court season.

"If Roddick gets through the first round," U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe said at the draw ceremony, "he should be in very good shape to get through to the semis."

Roddick leads the calendar-year ATP Champions Race and, with three titles in the past month, heads the list of men's favorites at the season's last Grand Slam tournament, which starts Monday.

He's 20-1 on the hard-court circuit, winning titles at Indianapolis, Montreal and Cincinnati. The lone loss was against four-time Wimbledon semifinalist Henman at Washington, D.C.

Henman won that event and is ranked 33rd. The top 32 players were seeded for the Open, so he is the top player Roddick could have met in the first round.

"I feel good right now," Roddick said at last week's Western & Southern Financial Group Masters. "I don't think I'd be winning as many matches if I wasn't confident."

Agassi, at 33 the oldest No. 1 in ATP Tour computer ranking history, won the U.S. Open in 1994 and 1999. He lost last year's final to Pete Sampras.

With Sampras all but officially retired, and Serena Williams sidelined by left knee surgery, it's the first time since 1971 that neither defending champion is participating.

The most intriguing potential women's quarterfinal pits Williams' older sister, 2000-01 champion Venus, against three-time major winner Jennifer Capriati.