Injuries leave Federer in league of his own

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Roger Federer, who handles his status and his racket with equal composure, again is an overwhelming favorite at the injury depleted Australian Open that starts Monday.

"I'm used to it," the 24-year-old Swiss star said this week. "Red hot or hot favorite -- it really doesn't matter."

The women's draw is stacked with potential winners, including top-ranked Lindsay Davenport, second-ranked Kim Clijsters, defending champion Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and three others who've held the No. 1 ranking.

Even Federer's Swiss compatriot, Martina Hingis, who won three and lost three Australian Open finals in a six-year span until retiring in 2002, has returned for another shot at the title.

But, as Clijsters said, "In women's tennis, there is no Ms. Federer."

Federer would have been favored anyway. But now he's in a league of his own, since the men's field is missing defending champion Marat Safin, second-ranked Rafael Nadal and four-time winner Andre Agassi.

Federer is self assured without being arrogant, on or off the court.

"I don't have to raise the bar" to keep winning, said Federer, who has held the No. 1 ranking since February 2004. "I have to stay hungry -- that's not too hard."

Federer has lost twice in the last six Grand Slam tournaments, dating back to Wimbledon 2004. Both his conquerers decided they weren't in any kind of shape to repeat such a feat at Melbourne Park.

Safin was lauded for his unpredictable genius when he upset Federer in last year's semifinals and went on to beat local favorite Lleyton Hewitt in the final.

Nadal was at his precocious peak when he overcame Federer on the red Roland Garros clay one match before he clinched the French Open title.

Safin and Nadal pulled out with lingering knee and foot injuries, leaving Andy Roddick and Hewitt as Federer's main rivals.

But Federer is 10-1 against Roddick, and has won his last nine matches against Hewitt. Asked what it's like to lead a chasing pack, the second-seeded Roddick said he's resigned to it.

"It might be Roger versus the field, but for the rest of us, it's us versus our first-round opponent," said Roddick. "He obviously made it like that by playing so well over the last couple of years.

"But I can't stress enough -- it doesn't have a lot to do with any of us until we're put in the situation where we're facing him."

Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open winner, is at the opposite end of the draw, ensuring he won't confront that situation unless they both reach the final.

Yet that's hardly comforting for Roddick. Federer has won their last five meetings -- all finals, including back-to-back championship matches at Wimbledon.

Federer won 11 titles and was 81-4 in 2005, finishing one win shy of John McEnroe's 1984 mark (82-3) for best winning percentage in a season in the Open era.

Top women battle injuries

Several women's players have injury concerns heading into the Australian Open.

Clijsters has swelling and small muscle tears in her hip, but hopes to be fit for Melbourne. Justine Henin-Hardenne, the reigning French Open and 2004 Australian champion, just returned from two months out because of a right hamstring strain.

Sharapova, who won Wimbledon in 2004 and was the only woman to make the semifinals at three majors last season, has had her shoulder pain diagnosed and has taken care of a dislocated rib that was causing it.

The Williams sisters arrived earlier in the week, skipping tournaments to work on their fitness.