Federer, Ivanovic headed to Olympics

Jul 2, 2008 - 3:52 PM LONDON (Ticker) -- Roger Federer and Ana Ivanovic highlight a host of top players who will complete at the Olympics in Beijing later this summer.

The International Tennis Federation announced the direct acceptance list for the Beijing Games. For both men and women, it marks the strongest field ever to enter the Olympic tennis event since the sport returned as a full medal sport in Seoul in 1998.

Led by Federer, the top-ranked player in the world from Switzerland, 17 of the top-20 men will compete in Beijing. Only American Andy Roddick and Frenchman Richard Gasquet declined to participate, while Fernando Verdasco is ineligible because he is the fifth player qualified from Spain.

A 20-year-old Serbian who is No. 1 in the world, Ivanovic leads 18 of the top-20 women who will take the court. Anna Chakvetadze of Russia declined while Marion Bartoli of France is ineligible.

The Olympic event will be played from August 10-17.