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Federer Gets Cold Start on Grand Slam
This season's Grand Slam starts today with the Australian Open. The favorites are well known – Roger Federer and Justine Henin – and surprises are unlikely. However, Maria Sharapova will have a chance to make her comeback after losing last year to Serena Williams. No one would doubt that Federer was well on his way to his 13th Grand Slam title and beating Pete Sampras's record of 14 titles, were it not for the stomach upset that cut short his warmup at the Doha tournament and Kooyong Open in Melbourne. The last player to win the Australian Open without warmup was Andre Agassi in 1995.
Russian Dmitry Tursunov is likely to face Serb Novak Djokovic in a match where Djokjovic is favored to win. Marat Safin will face Llayton Huitton, who has proved to be little challenge to him in the past. Nikolay Davydenko, ranked No. 1 in Russia and No. 4 in the world, may play against compatriots Mikhail Yuzhny and Igor Andreev. Andreev will have to take on Scottish up-and-comer Andy Murray first, however.
The women's portion of the tournament looks predictable. Belgian Henin did not play in last year's Australian Open because she was in the process of getting a divorce, leaving the courts of American Serena Williams and Sharapova. Now Henin has just beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in Sydney. Bookmakers say Sharapova has the best chance against her. Sharapova says the health problems that plagued her all last year are behind her now. She will meet Henin in the quarter final.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Jan. 14, 2008
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