Federer looks for Grand Slam No 10

MELBOURNE – Everyone gauges their form and chances against Roger Federer and it will be no different in next week’s Australian Open.

The world number one continues to raise the bar in men’s tennis, winning three of last year’s four majors and reaching the final of the French Open, making him the obvious stand-out player to beat again this year. Federer broke down in tears after overcoming Marcos Baghdatis in last year’s Melbourne final, saying how much it meant to win the title and receive the trophy from his idol Rod Laver.He finished world number one for the third straight year and is gunning for his third Australian Open crown in four years.The Swiss star has assumed the mantle of a modern-day tennis great, some argue the best of all, with nine major titles, five behind all-time leader Pete Sampras.Given he is only 25 and in the peak of his career, there is little to suggest that he won’t be lifting the Australian Open on January 28, and the year’s other three Grand Slams.”My focus is the same as it’s been the past few years.It starts with the Australian Open, you have to play well here,” he said.”If I win the Open, then it gets interesting.I’ll know in a few weeks’ time if that’s a goal that I can aim for.I’m happy to win one or two slams a season.”You can’t win all the time, but I hope to keep it up for a few more years.”If Federer is to stumble, like he did when Marat Safin beat him in a memorable five-set semi-final two years, who are his main challengers? World number two Rafael Nadal, who downed Federer in four finals last year, looks the main chance in the opposite side of the draw, providing he can shake off a right thigh injury which forced him out of the lead-up Sydney International.The 20-year-old Spanish left-hander has long heralded his precocious ability and highlighted his 2006 season with victory over Federer at Roland Garros for back-to-back French Open titles.Nadal missed last year’s Australian Open with a left-foot injury but if fit he will give Federer a shake.”I don’t think about Roger because Roger is number one and I am very young, and on the Tour there’s a lot of good players apart from Roger,” Nadal said.”Roger is the best.It’s very difficult to be like Roger because for me he’s a special guy.For me he’s the best of the history.”Russian Nikolay Davydenko and American James Blake are ranked three and four in the world, but face tough assignments on the sun-baked Rebound Ace hardcourts here.Davydenko is a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist but has never gone past the quarter-final stage in Australia, while Blake has never got beyond the fourth round in Melbourne.American power-server Andy Roddick, now with Jimmy Connors, has struggled in Melbourne, often rolling through the early rounds before coming undone in the second week.”There’s a difference in my game since working with Jimmy,” Roddick said.”I’m playing more aggressively now.Hopefully, I’ll have a successful run here this year.”If there is to be lower-ranked challenger it could be last year’s surprise finalist Baghdatis and 2005 winner Russian Marat Safin.Baghdatis of Cyprus captivated last year’s Open when, ranked 54, he knocked over top-10 players in Roddick, Ivan Ljubicic and David Nalbandian to reach the final where he went down in four sets to Federer.”Whenever I see the Rebound Ace and the colour of the courts I just want to play,” Baghdatis said of the Australian Open.”I don’t know why, it just gives me the motivation to play, the sound and all the things down there.”Safin may be ranked 26 but he has won and been twice runner-up in his last four trips to Melbourne, so he has the game, power and ability.”I finished my season pretty late after the Davis Cup final.I didn’t really have a holiday, it’s a different approach to the Open this year.I hope it will work,” he said.Nampa-ReutersFederer broke down in tears after overcoming Marcos Baghdatis in last year’s Melbourne final, saying how much it meant to win the title and receive the trophy from his idol Rod Laver.He finished world number one for the third straight year and is gunning for his third Australian Open crown in four years.The Swiss star has assumed the mantle of a modern-day tennis great, some argue the best of all, with nine major titles, five behind all-time leader Pete Sampras.Given he is only 25 and in the peak of his career, there is little to suggest that he won’t be lifting the Australian Open on January 28, and the year’s other three Grand Slams.”My focus is the same as it’s been the past few years.It starts with the Australian Open, you have to play well here,” he said.”If I win the Open, then it gets interesting.I’ll know in a few weeks’ time if that’s a goal that I can aim for.I’m happy to win one or two slams a season.”You can’t win all the time, but I hope to keep it up for a few more years.”If Federer is to stumble, like he did when Marat Safin beat him in a memorable five-set semi-final two years, who are his main challengers? World number two Rafael Nadal, who downed Federer in four finals last year, looks the main chance in the opposite side of the draw, providing he can shake off a right thigh injury which forced him out of the lead-up Sydney International.The 20-year-old Spanish left-hander has long heralded his precocious ability and highlighted his 2006 season with victory over Federer at Roland Garros for back-to-back French Open titles.Nadal missed last year’s Australian Open with a left-foot injury but if fit he will give Federer a shake.”I don’t think about Roger because Roger is number one and I am very young, and on the Tour there’s a lot of good players apart from Roger,” Nadal said.”Roger is the best.It’s very difficult to be like Roger because for me he’s a special guy.For me he’s the best of the history.”Russian Nikolay Davydenko and American James Blake are ranked three and four in the world, but face tough assignments on the sun-baked Rebound Ace hardcourts here.Davydenko is a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist but has never gone past the quarter-final stage in Australia, while Blake has never got beyond the fourth round in Melbourne.American power-server Andy Roddick, now with Jimmy Connors, has struggled in Melbourne, often rolling through the early rounds before coming undone in the second week.”There’s a difference in my game since working with Jimmy,” Roddick said.”I’m playing more aggressively now.Hopefully, I’ll have a successful run here this year.”If there is to be lower-ranked challenger it could be last year’s surprise finalist Baghdatis and 2005 winner Russian Marat Safin.Baghdatis of Cyprus captivated last year’s Open when, ranked 54, he knocked over top-10 players in Roddick, Ivan Ljubicic and David Nalbandian to reach the final where he went down in four sets to Federer.”Whenever I see the Rebound Ace and the colour of the courts I just want to play,” Baghdatis said of the Australian Open.”I don’t know why, it just gives me the motivation to play, the sound and all the things down there.”Safin may be ranked 26 but he has won and been twice runner-up in his last four trips to Melbourne, so he has the game, power and ability.”I finished my season pretty late after the Davis Cup final.I didn’t really have a holiday, it’s a different approach to the Open this year.I hope it will work,” he said.Nampa-Reuters