TIMES’ TENNIS RANKINGS

Lisa Dillman’s top 10 rankings and comments for men and women. The number in parentheses next to each player is the ranking by the men’s tour, the ATP’s Entry System, or the WTA, the women’s tour.

MEN

1. Patrick Rafter (6) Nice guy would like to finish first once more. Third Open may be best retirement present.

2. Gustavo Kuerten (1) Guga’s Rib is not a Brazilian delicacy. The injury turns him into a contender, not the favorite.

3. Tim Henman (9) New Slam start. New coach, Stefanki, has guided three other players to No. 1.

4. Andre Agassi (2) Biggest obstacles: Rafter, Sampras and Clinton. Clinton going for third straight Slam appearance.

5. Andy Roddick (18) A song about him at Wimbledon. What could be next? A statue at the U.S. Open?

6. Juan Carlos Ferrero (5) First round vs. Di Pasquale rematch of 2000 Sydney Olympic quarterfinals.

7. Marat Safin (3) Just didn’t. Flirtation with Nike ends with new Adidas deal on eve of title defense.

8. Goran Ivanisevic (15) Repo man. January: Failed qualifier in Australia. August: Trading quips with Letterman.

9. Pete Sampras (10) No mas ? Or was that no Haas? Loss in Long Island final pushed title drought to 17 tournaments.

10. Lleyton Hewitt (4) Open semifinalist in 2000 could face tough challenge of Roddick or Ferrero in quarterfinals.

WOMEN

1. Venus Williams (4) Headlining divas on display for Super Saturday? Venus Williams and Diana Ross.

2. Lindsay Davenport (3) Best part about draw is that Venus Williams and her serve are far away in the other half.

3. Serena Williams (10) Aiming for first Slam since 1999 Open, an 0-6 stretch since New York breakthrough.

4. Jennifer Capriati (2) Ten Years After. The Capriati-Seles 1991 semifinal set an Open standard hard to match.

5. Monica Seles (7) Is there room for three tennis miracles in 2001? Capriati, Ivanisevic and Seles has nice ring.

6. Justine Henin (6) Only player seemingly capable of pushing Venus Williams to three sets these days.

7. Martina Hingis (1) WTA No. 1 ranking out of our jurisdiction. Maybe computer counted pregnant chads.

8. Kim Clijsters (5) Class move in explaining injury withdrawal against Davenport to fans in New Haven.

9. Anke Huber (17) Two-time Open quarterfinalist (1999, 2000) bidding auf Wiedersehen to New York fans.

10. Nathalie Tauziat (9) Onetime Open quarterfinalist (2000) bidding adieu to New York fans.