Born: 08/06/82 Nationality: Russian Seeded: 19 World ranking: 20 US Open best: 2nd round (2001, 2000) Recent record: 2002: 1st round 2001: 2nd round 2000: 2nd round

One of the new wave of Russian stars, Nadia Petrova is fast making up for the disappointments of last season.

The 22-year-old, whose father was a hammer thrower and whose mother won relay bronze at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, has been hampered by injury and missed most of last season with a foot problem.

Now fully fit, her big-serving game is beginning to frighten the world's best.

At the French Open, she took out three-times champion Monica Seles in the first round before ending the hopes of reigning champion Jennifer Capriati in the fourth round.

She was eventually stopped by Kim Clijsters but not before becoming the first Russian to appear in the semi-finals of the women's event for 28 years.

Petrova is still prone to inconsistency and her record at the US Open is poor - but she looks well set to improve on the second round this year.