NEW YORK -- Top-ranked Serena Williams, who is seeking a record 23rd Grand Slam title, will meet two-time major semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova in the first round of the US Open, it was announced Friday.Makarova made two straight major semis: at the 2014 US Open, where she lost to Williams, and the 2015 Australian Open. Her ranking has slipped to 36th, and she just missed a seed at Flushing Meadows. The Russian is coming off an Olympic doubles gold medal.Im OK with it, Williams said of the match. I think I try to look at it as we all always have tough matches. I played her I think in the semis before. I know shes a good player. Ive just got to do the best I can.Williams said she hasnt practiced much because of an injury to her right shoulder, which bothered her during her third-round loss at the Olympics and was the reason she pulled out of the hard-court warm-up event in Cincinnati.I have not played a lot, I havent practiced a lot, but Im just now starting to feel a little better, said Williams, who added that shes been doing a lot of physical therapy.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, which was set Friday.Williams is tied with Steffi Graf for the most Grand Slam titles during the Open era.On the mens side, top-ranked Novak Djokovic, who injured his left wrist just before the Rio Olympics,?will open the final Grand Slam event of the season against 2013 Wimbledon semifinalist Jerzy Janowicz.Janowicz has been ranked as high as 14th but has struggled in recent years and missed much of this season because of injuries. Hes currently ranked 228th and used a protected ranking to get into the US Open.The right-handed Djokovic, who needs the left wrist for his backhand, said hell be ready to make his title defense at Flushing Meadows.Im doing everything in my power with the medical team to make sure that Im as close to 100 percent as possible during the course of this tournament, at least for the beginning of it, Djokovic said Friday. After undergoing certain treatments, Ive gotten better. Im just hoping that Monday when the tournament starts Ill be able to, as I said, get as close to the maximum of executing my backhand shot as possible.?The 12-time major champ also said his issues at Wimbledon, where he was upset in the third round, werent physical, but there were other things I was going through.He declined to elaborate on those problems other than to say they had been resolved.Other than that loss in the Olympic Games and Wimbledon, Ive had a phenomenal season -- definitely rank this season one of the best that Ive had in career, Djokovic said. So I dont feel like it has shaken me too much. I just hope to be healthy and to be enabled to play the way I wish to play in US Open. Thats why Im here.Fridays draw set Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as potential semifinal opponents, while Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka are in the other half of the bracket.Nadal, who has missed more than two months since withdrawing from the French Open with a left wrist injury, said he still isnt 100 percent but I can start to hit my normal forehand.When Nadal first came back from the injury, he had to adjust his technique to avoid pain. Now he says he needs to get comfortable again with his regular stroke.Olympic silver medalist Juan Martin del Potro could face 19th-seeded American Steve Johnson in the second round. Ranked No. 142 because of three left wrist surgeries, the 2009 US Open champ got in with a wild card.The Associated Press contributed to this report. Cheap Toronto Maple Leafs Jerseys . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4. Cheap Custom Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys . With their top three point guards and Kobe Bryant all sidelined by injury, the Lakers signed Marshall out of the D-League on Friday before their home game against Minnesota. http://www.nhldiscount.us.com/Cheap-new-devils-gear/ . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. Cheap Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Cheap Custom Detroit Red Wings Jerseys . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months.CHICAGO - No practice for the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Same for the Boston Bruins. The Stanley Cup finalists need all the rest they can get after a lengthy thriller in the series opener. Andrew Shaws deflection at 12:08 of the third overtime lifted the Blackhawks to a 4-3 victory in the fifth-longest game in the history of the Stanley Cup finals. It ended at the stroke of midnight on Wednesday, and both coaches decided to keep the players off the ice on Thursday.dddddddddddd. Game 2 is Saturday night at the United Center. One of the biggest questions coming out of Game 1 was the health of Bruins forward Nathan Horton, who skated off with an injury during the first overtime. The wing has seven goals and 11 assists in the playoffs. 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