Roddick ready to rock Australia

Hewitt and Williams sisters obvious choices but a fresh face can steal show

According to Rod Laver, who should know about such matters, Lleyton Hewitt is capable of winning all four Grand Slams this season. Laver, who pulled off the feat twice (1962 and 1969) concedes, "It is certainly tougher than in my day,'' but Hewitt specialises in things tough and is so solidly established as world No 1 that Laver's prognostication could well come to pass.

The French Open on the Roland Garros clay would constitute the highest hurdle for Hewitt, but the lad from Adelaide will be delighted if he can begin by hoisting his home Slam, the Australian Open, which starts tomorrow. In six previous tilts, Hewitt has won six matches and lost six, never getting past the fourth round and three times exiting in the first round, including last year when he was still groggy from a dose of chicken pox. In fact, no Australian players has won this Slam since the unlikely figure of Mark Edmondson 27 years ago in the days when many of the biggest names in tennis treated the country as if it were still a penal colony.

Not so now. With the exception of a list of the lame which is longer than usual at the opening of a new year and includes Britain's Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, all the top guns are on site in Melbourne, including the Williams sisters, who have contested the last three Grand Slam women's finals.

Serena beat Venus in all of them and is now going for what she terms "The Serena Slam''. This may not be quite the same as a calendar-year Slam, but to hold all four crowns is no mean achievement, and could well happen.

So, then, expect America's women to dominate. Among the US men Andre Agassi, seeded two, will be chasing his fourth Australian title, while Andy Roddick hopes to underline his reputation as heir apparent to Agassi and Pete Sampras. This is only Roddick's third full year on the Tour but the expectations are huge for the big-serving youngster from Omaha.

Roddick, whose most endearing non-tennis feature is his openness, ended 2002 at 10th in the world rankings and says of that: "I feel pretty good about my overall year but I would have liked better results at the bigger tournaments. I'm learning so much every week and it's hard to believe 2002 was only my second year. I have spent so much time working on my fitness during the off-season and feel in the best shape of my life. In one way it's encouraging I had the mixed results I did, with so much room left for improvement.''

A singles record of 56-22 last year was reason enough for satisfaction but Roddick's best Grand Slam was the US Open, where he was halted in the quarter-finals by Sampras, the eventual champion. That there remains some distance still to travel is apparent in the frank comment of Roddick's coach, Tarik Benhabiles: "By the end of this year Andy will have a backhand. He needs time but he'll have a complete game. He has to, if he wants to become great.''

According to Jeff Tarango, greatness is the destiny for someone who used to imitate all the stars while practising as a child, even switching the racket into his left hand when pretending to be John McEnroe. "I hit with this kid for half an hour in Miami and he broke three of my racket strings,'' said Tarango. "His serve is much bigger than Rusedski's. It terrifies people. He's Goliath. He has a class I haven't seen in a long time.''

Jim Courier, former world No 1 and twice winner of the Australian Open, agrees. "Andy is absolutely the goods. He's not shying from the spotlight, he is seeking it. Combined with his talent, that tells you right there all you need to know.'' Agassi, too, is full of praise: "He has an attitude, a presence out there. When you see him in down situations, the guy steps up and plays his shots. I think he can handle this whole thing. He's ready.''

Regarded as an extrovert even in his homeland, Roddick thrives on crowds even when, as could be the case if he reaches the quarter-finals, they are solidly behind his likely opponent, Hewitt. To travel that far, of course, the Australian will need to perform better than ever before in Melbourne, though the draw has been helpful with two easy contests before a third-round match with Gustavo Kuerten or Hicham Arazi. As ninth seed, Roddick starts against the 101st-ranked Zeljko Crajan of Croatia and will then tackle either Brazil's Andre Sa or Adrian Voinea of Romania.

Because of a knee injury Sweden's Thomas Johansson misses the chance to defend the title he won surprisingly last year, while the third seed and 2002 runner-up, Marat Safin, is nursing a sore shoulder. There are at present many with shoulder problems in the men's game. Patrick Rafter finally announced his retirement on Friday, Goran Ivanisevic comes back following a year's absence in a Davis Cup doubles against the United States next month while Tommy Haas is, like Henman, not yet recovered from a recent operation.

Half the French Davis Cup team are out injured, and also possible nursing damage to their minds following last month's loss to Russia in the final of that event, while Sampras has opted to miss Australia as he gears up for one more shot at Wimbledon.

Notable absentees on the women's side are Martina Hingis, who has won Australia three times and contested the final for the last six years, and Amelie Mauresmo, the runner-up in 1999. Hingis is contemplating her future after slow recovery from ankle surgery while Mauresmo is sidelined by knee trouble. Hingis was perhaps reluctant, in addition, to stand exposed to the firepower of the Williams girls, whose closest challenge should come from the next two in the seedings, Jennifer Capriati and Kim Clijsters.

Capriati, as capable as any woman of giving the ball a mighty whack, will be keen to hold on to the title she has won for the past two years, while Clijsters will be full of confidence having beaten both the Williams sisters to win the WTA seasons-end championships last November. Clijsters spent Christmas in Australia with Hewitt acclimatising to the heat and is entitled to think herself capable of sharing the singles honours with her boyfriend.

That heat continues to attract the fire, so to speak, of the players and there is now a strong chance the Australian Open will move to a date in March. But not before 2005, by which time Roddick should be good and ready to win it. If he hasn't already done so.

From the back court - Old favourites who can emerge from the shadows

Richard Krajicek (Holland)

The 6ft 6in Dutchman, never the fittest of players even before winning Wimbledon in 1996, has subsequently suffered a string of serious injuries which would have persuaded many to call it a day. He came back from elbow surgery to reach last year's Wimbledon quarter-finals, and returns following yet another injury absence to the tournament where he was a semi-finalist, albeit 11 years ago. Krajicek is unseeded and in Marat Safin's section of the draw, but that big serve and his volleying ability could cause damage.

Wayne Arthurs (Australia)

So short of talent are Australia at tennis these days that the London-based Arthurs is one of only three from his country who merit direct acceptance into the men's singles draw. Arthurs has yet to win a Tour title but his devastatingly simple serve, which he claims he honed as a child by throwing stones at passing cars, has frequently wrought havoc in the Grand Slams and, performing in his homeland, the tall, quiet Australian will be confident of causing more damage, providing he is fully recovered from a calf strain.

Magdalena Maleeva (Bulgaria)

The gritty Maggie, the last of three Bulgarian sisters still playing on the WTA Tour, makes up for what she lacks in height with quickness around the court and an ability to overturn even the very best in the women's game. Though she has been on the circuit for a dozen years, Maleeva's has enduring skills that have allowed her to overcome injuries and get back to the fringe of the top ten. She has an easy section of the draw and could then surprise the sixth-seeded Monica Seles if they meet in the quarter-finals.

Iva Majoli (Croatia)

The cheerful Croatian has, perhaps, never quite been the same classic operator since she upset Martina Hingis to win the 1997 French Open title. There have been lapses of form and injury setbacks since then, but Majoli remains capable of beating most and extending even the very best of the big hitters. This is perhaps just as well, since she is due to clash with the fourth seed Kim Clijsters in the third round, but the Croatian has done well to earn a seeding and is capable of the unexpected.