ROUNDUP : U.S. OPEN BEGINS AMID CONTROVERSY.

Byline: Associated Press 

Battered by a near boycott and a walkout by one of its seeded players, the U.S. Open gets under way today in New York.

The final Grand Slam tournament of the year won't include Yevgeny Kafelnikov, the No. 7 seed and French Open champion who withdrew on Saturday, protesting the way the U.S. Tennis Association arranged the field.

Tournament officials ignored rankings in seeding the players, causing a major controversy that led to an unprecedented re-drawing of the field. It didn't pacify Kafelnikov, who left anyway.

He wasn't the only one complaining.

In a show of force, many of the seeded players gathered Sunday to say they would insist that the next Slam event, the Australian Open, adhere to the rankings.

``The procedure used to remake the men's field was inappropriate and unfair and brought questions about motive,'' said Mark Miles, chief executive officer of the ATP.

``It is a matter of principle,'' said Todd Martin, president of the ATP Tour Players Council. ``It goes to objectivity and professionalism. To subjectively change the rankings tarnished the image and reputation of this tournament.''

The outrage developed when the Open seeds were not announced until after the draw, a reversal of usual policy, creating the perception that it was designed to favor American players. That caused Thursday's unprecedented re-draw for the men's field because, tournament chairman Les Snyder said, ``The USTA and the U.S. Open must be above reproach.'' The seedings, however, were not changed.

Snyder responded to the player complaints late Sunday.

``Grand Slam rules state that seedings are at the discretion of each Grand Slam tournament committee,'' he said. ``I went by the rule.

``The highest level of fairness and objectivity was included in the seedings. It's not the first time the seedings have deviated from the rankings. Wimbledon each year bases its seedings on actual grass court results.''

Snyder denied that the seedings were arranged to prejudice the draw. He said he ordered the men's field re-drawn because of ``my respect for player opinions.''

Third-seeded Wayne Ferreira of South Africa defeated unseeded Australian Todd Woodbridge, 6-2, 6-4 to win the du Maurier Open tennis tournament in Toronto and collect $288,000.

Ferreira, ranked 10th in the world, had little trouble with Woodbridge, part of the world's top doubles team and ranked No. 43 in singles.

Woodbridge came close to breaking Ferreira's service only once, in the third game of the match. But Ferreira saved five of the nine break points he faced during the tournament.

Date beats Sanchez Vicario: Japan's Kimiko Date lost the first four games before rallying for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over top-seeded Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain in the final of the $450,000 Toshiba Tennis Classic in Carlsbad.