U.S. Open draw sets paths for Serena, Djokovic

Top-ranked Serena Williams will meet Ekaterina Makarova in the first round of the U.S. Open, which begins Monday, as the American seeks a record 23rd Grand Slam title.

On the men’s side of the draw, which was revealed Friday, top-ranked Novak Djokovic will face 2013 Wimbledon semifinalist Jerzy Janowicz in the first round.

Makarova has made the semifinals at two straight majors — the 2014 U.S. Open, where she lost to Williams, and the 2015 Australian Open. The Russian’s ranking has slipped to 36th, but she just missed a U.S. Open seed and won an Olympic doubles gold medal.

Williams could face fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals, which is also when she could potentially meet sister Venus. Australian Open champ Angelique Kerber and French Open winner Garbine Muguruza are in the other half of the draw.

Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are potential semifinal opponents, while Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka are in the other half of the bracket.

Also, American Sloane Stephens has withdrawn because of a right foot injury.

Atherton’s CiCi Bellis, 17, beat Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-2 in a qualifying match to earn a spot in the U.S. Open’s main draw opposite Viktorija Golubic in the first round. Bellis won a U.S. Open first-round match in 2014.

The top-seeded Radwanska defeated twotime defending champion Petra Kvitova 6-1, 6-1 to reach the final of the Connecticut Open in New Haven. In the other semifinal, Elina Svitolina beat Johanna Larsson 6-4, 6-2.

Roberto Bautista Agut beat Viktor Troicki 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-2 to reach the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Open final, where he will meet Pablo Carreno Busta, a 6-4, 7-6 (5) winner over John Millman. Motor sports: Joey Logano won the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. It’s Logano’s third pole in 16 Cup races at Michigan, and the previous two times he won the pole, he also won the race. Jimmie Johnson was second, followed by Denny Hamlin.

Formula One season leader Lewis Hamilton took a 15-place grid penalty in Friday’s morning practice session for having changed too many engine parts this season, and was then handed a further 15-place penalty following another component change in the afternoon.

That means he will start Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix from the back row. Hamilton, chasing a third straight F1 title and fourth overall, has a 19-point lead over Nico Rosberg, his Mercedes rival. Football: Dan Raudabaugh threw six touchdown passes and the Philadelphia Soul won their second ArenaBowl title, beating the Arizona Rattlers 56-42 in Glendale, Ariz.