2012 U.S. Open Tennis: Novak Djokovic, Sam Stosur Attempt To Defend Titles

The 2012 U.S Open Tennis Tournament starts at 11 a.m. Monday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. Defending men's champion Novak Djokovic and women's champion Sam Stosur will be back to defend their titles. Serena Williams, who lost to Stosur in last year's final, is the women's favorite.

Rafael Nadal, who missed the London Olympics with sore knees, will miss the U.S. Open as well.

Two players with Minnesota ties — Mardy Fish from Edina, Minn., on the men's side and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, from Rochester, Minn., on the women's side — will compete. Fish faces Go Soeda of Japan at 11 a.m. Monday and Mattek-Sands faces Venus Williams in round one on Tuesday.

Notables playing Monday include Andy Murray vs. Alex Bogomolov Jr. at 11 a.m.; Maria Sharapova vs. Melinda Czink at 11 a.m.; Roger Federer vs. Donald Young at 7 p.m.; and Kim Clijsters vs. Victoria Duval at 7 p.m. See the full schedule of Monday's matches here. The draws for both men's and women's singles are available here.

T.V. coverage of Monday's action will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on The Tennis Channel and from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. on ESPN2.

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