Melbourne: The best in the world of tennis lock horns at the first Grand Slam of the year at the Australian Open in Melbourne from Monday.
A win at Melbourne Park will be the right start for former world No. 1 Roger Federer. A three-time Australian Open champion, Federer knows that Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand is waiting to be equalled.
But he also knows his arch-rival and world No. 1 Rafael Nadal stands in the way.
"I will always pick Rafa (Rafael Nadal). He had an incredible season last year. He won the Olympics pretty comfortably, crushed almost everybody on the way. I thought he was playing well at the US Open as well, and I thought what I saw of him playing in Doha as well, he was playing well there also," Federer says.
The mind games have clearly begun and why not. Nadal had an envious 2008 winning Wimbledon, French Open and the Olympic gold medal.
What could come in between him and the trophy will probably be his fitness.
"Every tournament when I am playing... everyone is important for me. If we are talking about a Grand Slam like Australian Open... (it is) very, very important for me," says Nadal
Federer may have reservations. But Andy Murray has had the Midas touch on tour with wins at Cincinnati, Madrid and Qatar.
Murray is the red hot favourite of the bookies with defending champion Novak Djokovic too one of the favourites.
Winner at the season-ending Masters Cup, all he needs is inspiration and his entire family in the players' box.
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