Tennis: Biggest stars come out to shine in Melbourne

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Tim Henman, Tommy Haas and Pete Sampras might be missing but that will not weaken the men's field at next week's Australian Open.

The women's field, too, is bristling with talent.

Of the world's top 15, only Jelena Dokic, Martina Hingis and Amelie Mauresmo will be absent from Melbourne Park.

The men's 128-strong draw will have 104 direct entries, 16 from the qualifying tournament which started yesterday, and up to eight wildcards.

The women have 108 direct entries, 12 from qualifying and eight wildcards.

Much interest in the women's tournament will centre of Serena Williams and her bid for a "Serena Slam" by adding the Australian Open to the victories she scored last year in the French Open at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open at Flushing Meadow.

Standing in her way are big sister Venus, and defending champion Jennifer Capriati's chase for a hat-trick.

Kim Clijsters, buoyed by her victory in the season-ending WTA Championships - beating Serena Williams in the final - will be a serious contender, as will the ever-improving Daniela Hantuchova who shared the mixed doubles title at last year's open.

On-form Lleyton Hewitt, seeking to break the 27-year drought since an Australian - unseeded Mark Edmondson - last won their open, will start a hot favourite ahead of Andre Agassi.

But of the rest, last year's beaten finalist Marat Safin, Carlos Moya and world No 4 Juan Carlos Ferrero loom as perhaps the hardest to beat.

As has been the story at the Heineken Open in Auckland, the Spaniards have done well in Australia but without going all the way.

Ferrero, tipped a year ago as the player who could ignite a long-running rivalry with Hewitt to match the great battles of yesteryear from the likes of Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, might represent their best chance to break through.

The total prizemoney is A$18.2 million ($19.67 million). The men's and women's winners will each get A$1,127,850.

And while the hotshots are chasing the big honours over the next fortnight, the bean counters will also be taking a keen interest in what is happening.

National Institute of Economic and Industry Research figures show last year's open had a gross economic benefit of A$189 million.

That is a 37 per cent increase on a similar study undertaken in 1999 and 83 per cent up on 1997.

The tournament attracts 500,000 people to Melbourne Park.

Television cover of the open was shown in 177 countries worldwide last year. The almost 3800 hours of cover was watched by an audience of 497 million.

Asia took 47 per cent of the coverage.

Australian Open chief executive Paul McNamee said: "The Australian Open is big business.

"It makes a significant contribution on creating jobs and in attracting tens of thousands of visitors to Melbourne."

The research showed that 47 per cent of interstate and 31 per cent of overseas visitors would not have visited the state if the open had not been held.

Of the overseas visitors, 21.4 per cent said they visited Australia solely for the open.