Step-by-step for Safin as fresh start beckons

Safin, a former number one and 2005 winner of the Melbourne Grand Slam, said that six weeks of off-season training in Spain after ending his season last October has put him back on track.

 "I'm ranked 60th (actually 57th) so I have to take things step-by-step," said the charismatic Russian. "At the end of the season, if I don't break myself, I could be back around the Top 20.

 "From there, it's not so far to the Top 10. To stay at 60 is not my hope."

   Murray, winner of the Doha title at the weekend, was bothered by the weight of a pair of chicken sandwiches he had eaten for lunch in a match which was brought forward on the schedule.

 "I had run at the track this morning and our match was moved up," said  the number nine. "I'm glad there were not that many long rallies."

   Two-time champion Andy Roddick just can't get excited about taking a shot at a third consecutive trophy at Kooyong club before Monday's start of the Australian Open.

 Roddick, the 2006 and 2007 winner, stopped Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-0 to begin his 2008 tennis season.

 "I knew it would be heavy for me," said Ljubicic. "But the positive thing is that I have another match under my belt. There's nothing positive about going out there and losing."

   2006 Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis began afresh after a first-round loss in Chennai, beating number four Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.

 Roddick is working on his Grand Slam preparation this week, not worrying about his Kooyong club record.

 "This is an important event, I'm getting matches," said the American who helped his country to a record 32nd Davis Cup win last month in beating Russia.

 "And traditionally, players who have done well here have also done well at the Aussie Open. There's nothing wrong with playing matches against Top 20 guys."

   But Roddick, whose lone Grand Slam title came in 2003 in New York, kept priorities straight: "I haven't though about winning three in a row here.

 "It's a great event, but we're all here for the Australian Open."

   The tournament, already missing Roger Federer through a stomach virus and Tommy Haas from shoulder surgery, is now without David Nalbandian.

 The Argentine's Open preparation is in tatters as he suffered a back spasm during training with Safin at Melbourne Park.

 Nalbandian said that doctors have told him he needs to rest for up to four days, a tight timetable with the major starting on Monday. "I need to rest, take treatment and we'll see how it goes," said Nalbandian, "It occurred after 30 minutes on court.

 "Marat and I were playing points. But I had to stop. For sure I can't play, I can't even hit slowly. It's better to rest and recover the muscle. We have to wait and see."

   Roddick said he got accustomed to the Aussie heat by training for ten days in Hawaii with coach Jimmy Connors.

 "The week before Christmas we began all-day physical training. We focused on what we had to do."

By Bill Scott, dpa