BEIJING, Oct 1: 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.

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).—AFP