Federer's gets tough draw

2007-01-12 16:46

Melbourne - There will be no repeat of last year's Australian Open final with top seed and defending champion Roger Federer and 2006 finalist Marcos Baghdatis drawn in the same quarter of the men's singles.

World No 1 Federer, bidding for his third Australian Open crown, also has American Andy Roddick and his 2005 semi-final conqueror Marat Safin in his half of the men's draw for next week's opening Grand Slam of the season.

Federer starts against Germany's 83rd-ranked Bjorn Phau and is drawn to meet the No 11 ranked Cypriot Baghdatis in the quarter-finals.

Baghdatis, who captivated last year's Open with his charge to the final, plays 2003 runner-up Rainer Schuettler in his opening match and could face in-form Frenchman Richard Gasquet (18) in the third round.

Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion, and Safin can meet as early as the third round as the Russian goes into the tournament ranked 26.

Spanish second seed Rafael Nadal has Australian Lleyton Hewitt, American world No 5 James Blake and rising British star Andy Murray in his quarter.

Nadal, who withdrew from the lead-up Sydney tournament with a right thigh injury, starts with a match against American Robert Kendrick, who took the world No 2 to five sets in the second round at Wimbledon last year.

Blake has a tough opener against former Australian Open finalist Carlos Moya, ranked 44.

Australia's hope

Australia's main hope, 19th-ranked Hewitt, who lost to Safin in the 2005 Australian Open final, has a qualifier first up.

Should Hewitt progress to the fourth round he could face a potential match up with Blake.

Women's top seed Maria Sharapova and Belgian Kim Clijsters have been drawn in the same half along with three-time Australian Open champion Martina Hingis.

Sharapova opens against France's Camille Pin, and is drawn to meet Swiss eighth seed Patty Schnyder in the quarters.

Clijsters, who reached the 2004 Australian Open final and is seeded four this year, opens against Hobart International finalist, Vasilisa Bardina of Russia and could face sixth-seed Hingis in the quarters.

Hingis, who lost in the first round to eventual finalist Jelena Jankovic at the Sydney International, plays France's Nathalie Dechy in her opening match.

Italian 27th seed Mara Santangelo has drawn the dangerous unseeded "floater" and two-time Australian Open winner Serena Williams in the first round.

- AFP