French dominate seedings in Beijing Open tennis

French players will take three of the top five seedings when the China Open begins on Monday, with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga heading the ATP field. The joint ATP-WTA event also features compatriot Gael Monfils as second seed with Gilles Simon taking the number five spot. With women's play starting on Saturday, the men will go into action at a new showcase stadium on Monday. The field was depleted as world number one Novak Djokovic withdrew with back and rib injuries he has been carrying since winning the US Open. Two-time Roland Garros finalist Robin Soderling is also absent, with the Swede suffering glandular fever with his return to the courts unsure. Tsonga, winner of last month's Metz title over Ivan Ljubicic, begins with a major test against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, 20. The youngster tipped for the top gave Andy Murray a battle in this week's quarter-final in Bangkok before the Scot carved out a 6-4, 6-4 victory. Monfils begins with a first-round match against Italian Fabio Fognini, who beat him in their last meeting at the French Open last year. Czech third seed Tomas Berdych will be hoping for a recovery from the shoulder problem which has plagued him since the summer and forced his retirement from a US Open third round match. His first test will come against Austrian Jurgen Melzer, a quarter-finalist this week in Kuala Lumpur. Spain's Nicolas Almagro is seeded fourth ahead of Simon with the Spaniard beginning play against Russian Mikhail Youzhny and the Frenchman facing Marcel Granollers of Spain. Andy Roddick leads compatriot John Isner as the lone two American entries into the main draw of the 32-man event. Roddick is seeded sixth, one spot above his compatriot and plays South African Kevin Anderson in the opening round. Roddick won the event in 2008 as he beat Israeli Dudi Sela but went out in the first round a year later to Lukasz Kubot of Poland as his title defence ended early. Isner reached the 2010 semi-final where he lost to Djokovic. China are guaranteed a player into the second round as wild cards Zhang Ze and Li Zhe meet. Zhang lost in qualifying rounds the last two years while 350th-ranked Li, 25, has failed to earn a place in the field on four previous attempts, the last in 2008. Seeds: 1. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x1), 2. Gael Monfils (FRA x2), 3. Tomas Berdych (CZE x3), 4. Nicolas Almagro (ESP x4), 5. Gilles Simon (FRA x5), 6. Andy Roddick (USA x6), 7. John Isner (USA x7), 8. Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR x8)