The torch has been passed. Rafael Nadal is the new No. 1 player in men’s tennis, and he’s the favorite at 11-8 to win the 2008 U.S. Open. Roger Federer, the four-time defending champion, was 13-8 at press time. The closest competition is third seed Novak Djokovic, who checks in at 5-1.

The women’s draw at Flushing Meadows is another story. World’s No. 1 Ana Ivanovic was dumped in the second round by No. 188-ranked Julie Coin of France. She wasn’t the only top seed to falter in the early rounds; No. 4-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova was bounced on Day 5 by No. 28 Katarina Srebotnik.

Unfortunately, we won’t see the Williams sisters in the final. Instead, Serena and Venus were matched up in Wednesday’s quarterfinal, with Serena prevailing 7-6, 7-6 as a  –150 chalk. She’ll play Dinara Safina in the semis; Serena was the 9-4 favorite to win the women’s draw heading into the quarterfinal round, while Safina was 5-1.