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Federer Remains A Bit Skeptical

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By JOHN PYE

The Associated Press

Published: January 18, 2009

MELBOURNE, Australia - Roger Federer isn't going to give Andy Murray too much street cred until the young Scot has earned it.

Federer had trouble containing an incredulous laugh last week when he heard that British bookmakers had made 21-year-old Murray the favorite, or at least equal favorite, to win the Australian Open.

As if it wasn't bad enough that Rafael Nadal had ended the Swiss star's five-year Wimbledon reign last season and his record 237-week stretch at No. 1. Or that Novak Djokovic had beaten him in the last Australian Open - the only one of the past 15 Grand Slam tournaments not won by either Federer or Nadal.

Murray "has never won a Slam. Novak is the defending champion here. Rafa Nadal had an incredible season last year," said Federer, who is one title shy of equaling Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam singles championships. "I won the last Slam of last season. It's surprising to hear."

Murray has only twice been beyond the fourth round at a major, his best run being a runner-up finish to Federer at the last U.S. Open.

Federer entered 2008 as a strong contender to win all four majors and ended with just one, increasing his career haul to 13.

Mononucleosis forced him to withdraw from all tournaments before the last Australian Open, where he was defending champion, and he went in cold. He said he genuinely feared a first-round exit.

Federer and Djokovic are again on course for a semifinal meeting at Melbourne Park after the draw was released Friday. It presents a tough road for Federer, who could face former No. 1 Carlos Moya in the second round, 2005 Australian Open champion Marat Safin in the third and Swiss Davis Cup teammate Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth.

Federer lost the French Open and Wimbledon titles and No. 1 ranking to Nadal, who also won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.

But the Swiss thinks he regained momentum by winning the U.S. Open.

"It is a good feeling to enter a Grand Slam if you have won the last one," he said.

Serena Williams enters the Australian Open as the No. 2-seeded woman seed and reigning U.S. Open champion.

Defending Australian champion Maria Sharapova is sidelined with an injured right shoulder and fifth-seeded Ana Ivanovic, runner-up here last year before she won the French Open, is seemingly out of form and without a coach.

While Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Russians Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva are ranked Nos. 1, 3 and 4, none has won a major.

Williams' elder sister, Venus, looms as the other leading contender and a potential semifinal rival in the draw.

Venus won the Williams derby in last year's Wimbledon final to claim her fifth title there and rounded off the year by winning the WTA Championship.

Serena's win at the U.S. Open made her only the sixth woman to win nine or more Grand Slam singles titles.

She also returned to the No. 1 ranking for four weeks in '08, five years and a month after previously holding it. And a recent trend points to another title - she has won the Australian title every alternate year since 2003, when she beat Venus in the final.

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