Venus Williams, Andy Roddick scheduled to play on opening night at US Open

NEW YORK — There will be a parade of past U.S. Open champions playing in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Day 1 of this year’s tournament. Monday’s schedule features a night session with 2000-01 winner Venus Williams against Vera Dushevina, followed by 2003 winner Andy Roddick against Bjorn Phau.

The night session will be preceded by a ceremony celebrating charity work by athletes, including Andre Agassi, who will be returning to the stadium for the first time since playing the final match of his professional career at the 2006 U.S. Open.

Others slated to play in Ashe earlier on the opening day of the season’s last Grand Slam tournament include U.S. Open champions Kim Clijsters (2005), Serena Williams (1999, 2002, 2008) and Roger Federer (2004-08).