Federer-Baghdatis possible in Aussie quarters; Hingis draws Dechy

Jan 12, 2007, 11:29 GMT

Melbourne, Australia - Defending champion Roger Federer could meet Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, which will start Monday at Melbourne Park.

The world No. 1 Swiss Federer, who beat Baghdatis in last year's final, will open the first grand slam event of the year by facing Germany's Bjorn Phau. Baghdatis, seeded 11th, will also play a German in Rainer Schuettler in round one.

The top-seeded Federer, trying to win the Aussie Open for the third time in four years, topped Baghdatis in four sets last year.

Federer has topped the men's rankings since February 2004 and will be seeking his 10th career Grand Slam title over the next few weeks.

Second seed Rafael Nadal of Spain takes on American Robert Kendrick in the first round. Nadal, who missed last year's Aussie Open due to a foot injury, was last year's titlist at the French Open, where he upended Federer in the final. Nadal defeated the mighty Federer in four finals last year, as Federer went an unbelievable 90-1 when he wasn't facing the powerful Spaniard.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko, the third seed, will have a first-round encounter with Argentine Sergio Roitman, while fourth seed Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia tangles with American Mardy Fish. Davydenko and Ljubicic were both quarterfinalists last year.

Fifth-seeded American James Blake has a rough draw in the first-round, taking on Spaniard Carlos Moya. ALthough he hasn't gotten past the second round in Melbourne since 2001, Moya was a runner-up at the Aussie Open in 1997. Blake's best showing at the event was in the fourth round in 2003 and '04.

Another American, sixth seed Andy Roddick, plays Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in round one. Roddick was a semifinalist at the Aussie Open in 2003 and '05.

Aussie crowd favorite Lleyton Hewitt, seeded 19th, will play a qualifier in the first round. It's possible for Hewitt to meet Blake in the fourth round.

On the women's side, top seed Maria Sharapova, the 2006 U.S. Open champion, faces Camille Pin of France in the first round.

Second seed Amelie Mauresmo of France tangles with American Shenay Perry, while No. 3 seed and French Open runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova takes on Australian wild card Jessica Moore. Mauresmo topped Justine Henin-Hardenne in last year's finale here when the Belgian quit during the second set due to bad stomach pains. Mauresmo also went on to beat the Roland Garros titlist Henin-Hardenne in the Wimbledon final.

Henin-Hardenne, who reached all four Grand Slam finals last season, withdrew from the '07 Aussie Open due to personal reasons.

Belgian Kim Clijsters, the fourth seed, will go against Russian Vasilisa Bardina in round one. Clijsters is likely appearing in her final Australian Open, as she has already announced that 2007 will be her last season on the WTA Tour.

Fifth seed Nadia Petrova of Russia will play Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand in round one.

One of the more intriguing matchups in the first round will be between sixth seed Martina Hingis and France's Nathalie Dechy. Hingis, a six-time finalist and three-time champion, made it to the quarterfinals last year. Dechy, who was a semifinalist in 2005, has never beaten Hingis in six all-time meetings, winning just one set.

Unseeded American Serena Williams, the 2003 and '05 champion, will play 27th seed Mara Santangelo of Italy in the first round. Williams' sister, Venus, pulled out of the tournament earlier this week due to a left wrist injury.

© 2007 The Sports Network