Tommy Haas top seed at LA Tennis Open

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Not the best field ever for the only men’s ATP event held in Los Angeles. The draw is being held now for the event, which begins Monday at UCLA. Germany’s Tommy Haas is the top seed with American Mardy Fish seeded No. 2; Russia’s Dimitri Tursunov at No. 3 and Dudi Sela of Israel at No. 4.

Play begins at noon Monday. None of the top four seeds will play until Thursday. The most attractive first-round matches in the 28-player draw include former U.S. Open champion and soon-to-be-retired Marat Safin against American veteran Robby Ginepri; and Jesse Levine, who upset Safin at Wimbledon, against fellow American Bobby Reynolds.

Haas is ranked No. 20 in the world; Fish is No. 22; Tursunov is No. 27; and Sela is No. 29.

Making it into the main draw via a wild card invitation is 28-year-old Taylor Dent who is two years into a comeback from two back surgeries. Dent, who grew up in Newport Beach, drew a qualifier for his first-round match. Dent and Fish attended the draw ceremonies at the Sunset Marquis hotel Friday night.

-- Diane Pucin