Australia opens for year's 1st Slam

New Delhi: The year's first Grand Slam gets underway in Melbourne from Monday. The Australian Open will not feature many players including Justine Henin-Hardenne, Venus Williams, Tim Henman and Mark Philippousis. So who will step up and set the tone for the year?

A dream beginning for world number six Andy Roddick. The American opened his tennis season with a win over the man everyone wants to beat, top seed Roger Federer, at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne. Not many could do that last year and Roddick is now a firm favourite.

Defending champion Roger Federer finished top on the courts last year. And he is determined to stay that way. The Australian Open opens up many chances for the Swiss. He is looking to win his 10th career Grand Slam.

But there are men Federer will have to look out for. Rafael Nadal has finished number two for two consecutive years and is the biggest threat. Rafa wasn't there at the Australian Open last year, and will be eager to go past his best ever performance of reaching the fourth round.

And let's not forget the surprise finallist here last year, Marcos Baghdatis. The man from Cyprus will not be easy to dispose.

"Yes, improve myself a lot physically, feel tougher, more experienced now and playing good, I'm ready and I guess I'll just go on the court and fight for every match, try to do my best," Baghdatis says.

She grunted her way to a US Open win last year. Maria Sharapova is all set to bring home some more smiles, especially as she will start her 2007 campaign seeded first and with a new dress.

"I don't think I could physically play four or five matches and two days later start a two-week Grand Slam so I don't think I'm ready for that yet. But I've done it for a couple of years now and it seemed to be working good. I might not have that many matches under my belt but I feel fresh, I feel healthy, which is most important," Sharapova says.

The bookies are putting the odds on Kim Clijsters to win her first title here. She is in form and is playing her last Australian Open. The year's first Grand Slam promises a lot of action.