Venus and Serena, seen wearing a self-designed Olympic cap in New York on Tuesday, have both benefitted from Wimbledon’s unique seeding system. (AP)

London: Defending champion Serena Williams has been promoted up the Wimbledon seedings from her world ranking of 10 to number one for the 2004 championships which run from Monday through July 4.

Her sister Venus, who triumphed at the All England Club in 2000 and 2001 before finishing runner-up to Serena the following two years, has also been elevated five places from her WTA ranking and named third seed by the organisers on Wednesday.

Newly-crowned French Open winner Anastasia Myskina, the highest ranked woman in the draw following withdrawals of the world’s top two players Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters, is seeded second behind Serena.

In the men’s event, champion Roger Federer has been made top seed ahead of world No. 2 Andy Roddick.

Unlike every other tournament in the world, Wimbledon does not follow the ATP’s world rankings and instead uses a combination of rankings and grasscourt form over recent years when determining men’s seeds.

Britain’s Tim Henman profited from the system. Four times a semi-finalist at the grasscourt Grand Slam, he is up from his world ranking of six to fifth seed.

Lleyton Hewitt, champion in 2002, has been named seventh seed despite being at 10 in the standings while his opponent in that final, Argentina’s David Nalbandian is seeded fourth.

SEEDINGS

TOP 16 MEN

1. Roger Federer (Swi); 2. Andy Roddick (US); 3. Guillermo Coria (Arg); 4. David Nalbandian (Arg); 5. Tim Henman (GBB); 6. Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa); 7. Lleyton Hewitt (Aus); 8. Rainer Schuettler (Ger); 9. Carlos Moya (Spa); 10. Sebastien Grosjean (Fra); 11. Mark Philippoussis (Aus); 12. Sjeng Schalken (Ned); 13. Paradorn Srichaphan (Tha); 14. Mardy Fish (US); 15. Nicolas Massu (Chi); 16. Jiri Novak (Cze).

TOP 16 WOMEN

1. Serena Williams (US); 2. Anastasia Myskina (Rus); 3. Venus Williams (US); 4. Amelie Mauresmo (Fra); 5. Lindsay Davenport (US); 6. Elena Dementieva (Rus); 7. Jennifer Capriati (US); 8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus); 9. Paola Suarez (Arg); 10. Nadia Petrova (Rus); 11. Ai Sugiyama (Jap); 12. Vera Zvonareva (Rus); 13. Maria Sharapova (Rus); 14. Silvia Farina Elia (Ita); 15. Patty Schnyder (Swi); 16. Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi (Isr).