TENNIS/ AUSTRALIAN OPEN: ROGER FEDERER faces a challenging path to glory if he is to extend his record grand slam haul to 16 at the Australian Open which starts on Monday, kicking off with a first-round test against 36th-ranked Russian Igor Andreev.
Andreev took Federer to five sets at the 2008 US Open and should the Swiss continue his march to the fourth round, local hope Lleyton Hewitt or 15th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon could block his path to the quarter-finals. Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, who he defeated for the 2006 title, looms in the fourth-round.
Second-seed Rafa Nadal has a smoother route to the last eight. The Mallorcan world number two was paired with low-ranked Australian Peter Luczak when the draw was made yesterday but may face a third-round hurdle against big-serving American John Isner. Fifth seed Andy Murray will play a qualifier in the first round but faces a potential quarter-final showdown with Nadal.
In the women’s draw, top seed Serena Williams opens against Poland’s 71st-ranked Urszula Radwanska to start what appears to be a relatively trouble-free run to the quarter-finals.
However, Russian fifth seed Elena Dementieva was dealt a possible second-round encounter with former number one Justine Henin. The Belgian reached the Brisbane International final earlier this month in her first tournament back from retirement and should have too many weapons for compatriot and first-round opponent Kirsten Flipkens. Should she progress, Henin could set up a quarter-final against French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova or fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters.
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