Federers path looks rocky

Former world No 1 will have to beat a number of title contenders to equal Samprass record of 14 Slams

Roger Federer could have to get past the only two men whove beaten him in the last five Australian Opens just to reach the final.

If he gets there,the only two active players with winning records could await. Top-ranked Rafael Nadal and fourth-ranked Andy Murray each with winning records against Federer were drawn together on the top half Friday and are likely semi-final rivals.

Federer,bidding to equal Pete Samprass record 14 Grand Slam singles titles,got a tough draw. It starts with Andreas Seppi of Italy in the first round,then could involve showdowns with former No. 1-ranked Carlos Moya in the second,2005 Australian champion Marat Safin in the third and defending champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. Djokovic would likely have to win a quarter-final against seventh seed Andy Roddick first.

The womens draw ensured thered be no all-Williams final,with sisters Serena and Venus on course to meet in the semis. Second-seeded Serena,the US Open champion,has won the Australian title every alternate year since beating Venus in the 2003 final.

Sixth-seeded Venus,who won her fifth Wimbledon championship last year with a victory over Serena in the final,rounded out the year by winning the season-ending WTA Championship. The Williams loom as the top contenders with defending champion Maria Sharapova missing the tournament after months on the sidelines with an injured right shoulder.

Serena will open against Chinese wild card Yuan Meng and could face 2006 champion and former No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo of France in the fourth. Venus Williams would have to get past g Olympics gold medalist Elena Dementieva to reach the semis.

In the top half,fifth-seeded Ana Ivanovic could face third-seeded Dinara Safina of Russia in the quarter-finals and fellow Serb and top-ranked Jelena Jankovic in the semis.

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Nadal faces Belgiums Christophe Rochus in the first round and a possible fourth-round encounter with either two-time Grand Slam titlist Hewitt or 2007 Australian runner-up Fernando Gonzalez,who meet in the most intriguing of the first-round matches.

He could play sixth-seeded Gilles Simon of France in the quarter-finals. Murray has Spanish Davis Cup champion Fernando Verdasco,No. 9 James Blake and Tsonga in his quarter of the draw.