NOTEBOOK: Federer, Nadal calm talk of dispute

Jan 17, 2012, 1:32 GMT

Melbourne - Roger Federer smoothed the waters with fellow tennis superstar Rafael Nadal with the number three saying all is fine between the friends and rivals.

Nadal struck a rare note of discord in the run-up to the Australian Open by hinting that Federer kept his image squeaky clean by never criticizing tennis - only to let Nadal and other players like Andy Murray and Andy Roddick do the public dirty work in demanding reforms to the professional game.

Federer, president of the ATP Player Council with Nadal as his vice president, said all was fine between the pair, who own a combined total of 26 Grand Slam trophies. But they have apparently agreed to disagree on the best approach to reforming the game in the areas of Grand Slam prize money distribution and tournament calendars.

'We can't always agree on everything,' Federer said after joining Nadal in the second round of the Australian Open. 'So far, it's always been no problem really. Back in the day, he [Nadal] used to say, 'Whatever Roger decides, I'm fine with.'

'Today, he's much more grown-up. He has a strong opinion himself, which I think is great.'

Nadal also tamped down any embers of discontent. 'Probably I am wrong telling that to [the media],' he said. 'These things must stay in the locker room.

'I always had a fantastic relationship with Roger. I still have a fantastic relationship with Roger. I said we can have different views about how the tour needs to work. That's all.'

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Open claims Li Na to lure Chinese to Melbourne

Melbourne (dpa) - Tennis Australia has effectively claimed the image of Chinese champion Li Na as its own and is using the 2011 finalist as a tourism lure.

The Australian Open said a half-million Chinese visited Australia in 2011 out of an estimated 35 million who left the country for travel.

Officials also claimed a 30-per-cent rise in open tickets sold in China but do not back up the percentages with actual figures. About 600,000 fans were expected to attend the open over its fortnight.

Li played the Melbourne final a year ago, losing to Kim Clijsters, then earned a historic Grand Slam title for China five months later by winning the trophy on clay at Roland Garros.

Australian tourism officials in a country badly hit by an expensive dollar, thanks to its resources boom - main customer: China - are also claiming a 400-per-cent increase in visitors from the Asia-Pacific region since 2004 and trying to pin that rise on the Li factor.

The 29-year-old was not even on the tennis horizon seven years ago and only played her first Grand Slam in 2005, winning two rounds in Melbourne.

Tourism officials said they believe Chinese visitors to Australia could reach 1 million in five years.