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Nadal, Venus Top Players in 2008 poll;
Sexiest? The Eyes Have It: Ana, Marat

Radwanska, Wozniacki Tie for Newcomers; Del Potro Wins In Landslide; Murray, Safina Most Improved; Gasquet, Vaidisova Busts

Vegas Out of Davis Cup Running

Birmingham and San Antonio Appear to be Finalists
Plus: Kantarian to NFL? Serena’s ‘Injury’, Tomic, Davenport

Federer: The Re-Dominator? Ivanovic-Groenefeld Split?

MONDAY, JAN. 5 - Roger Federer has rarely been lacking in confidence, but he sounded like a headstrong hot rookie pitcher during spring training when discussing his 2009 prospects prior to Doha, where he will be facing Potito Starace of Italy in the first round
"This could be a very meaningful season for me," 13-time Slam champ Federer said. "I can equal Pete Sampras' record. I can add another Wimbledon title and this is something that is very dear to me. I can also win my first French Open title, so I am looking forward to my season. Obviously, I can dominate the game. I have worked hard at my game and when you do that, things become easy for you. If I can play two good matches then I will feel really good going into the Australian Open.
Unlike last year when he was still recovering from mono, Federer is feeling healthy, which surely is adding to his ballooning confidence. What’s a little unusual here is that Federer only won one major title in ’08, the US Open, and its pretty clear that Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are neck and neck with him. BTW – in a very bold move, the ATP just christened that group “The Big 4” on its web site, even though Murray is still Slam-less. Wonder what Andy Roddick is thinking?
In Doha, Roddick wasted Ivan Navarro 6-1, 6-3 and was joined in R2 by Gael Monfils, who dismissed Jan Hernych 6-2, 6-2. In Chennai, Marin Cilic blasted Alberto Martin 6-4, 6-4. Stan Wawrinka is the second seed.
Brisbane kicked off its inaugural event in stellar fashion with a very decent field. Jarkko Nieminen upended former Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 5-7, 6-1, 6-4. We doubt we will see the Bagman attending too many politically charged BBQ’s in Melbourne this year after his ’08 debacle. Taylor Dent must be thrilled to have won a tour match, beating Steve Darcis 7-6(0), 6-2.
On the women’s side, Amelie Mauresmo began what could be her last season with a significant 7-6(9), 7-6(5) victory over the reviving Jelena Dokic. Former No. 4 Dokic nailed 33 winners to Mauresmo's seven, but the 25-year-old also registered 31 unforced errors to Mauresmo's six. Sounds like the old Jelena, both good and bad. "I'm proud, but it hurts knowing I had those chances against her," said Dokic. "If you'd said six months ago I'd be this close, I'd have said you're crazy. But maybe if I got blown away it wouldn't hurt so much."
Daniela Hantuchova’s season began poorly when Sara Errani upset her 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-0. Samantha Stosur bested Ai Sugiyama 6-2, 6-3 and top seed Ana Ivanovic bested Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-2. There’s big news out of the AI camp though when it was reported by Neil Harman that she’s parting ways with her main coach, Adidas’ head of player development, Sven Groenefeld. But Ivanovic's camp says that the two could re-united in Melbourne, but also says that the Aussie Open finalist is 'enjoying the freedom of being on her own.' Sesil Karatantcheva recovered from a set down to outlast Iveta Benesova.
In Auckland, the rising Aleksandra Wozniak as well as the slump-ridden Shahar Peer and Nicole Vaidisova all posted wins. Wozniak bested Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-5, while Peer beat Petra Cetkovska, 7-6(4), 6-2, and Vaidisova got past the always tough Alla Kudryavtseva 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-5. That has to be her best win in months. Jill Craybas ruined the return of former top 5 player Kimiko Date Krumm 6-4, 6-3.
At the always fun Hopman Cup, Slovakia’s Dominik Hrbaty took down James Blake 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (1) to help lead Slovakia to victory over the defending champion United States. Dominika Cibulkova crushed Meghann Shaughnessy 6-2, 6-2 in the opening women's singles match and Hrbaty and Cibulkova defeated Shaughnessy and Blake 6-4, 7-6 (4) in mixed doubles.
Germany came though over Australia when Sabine Lisicki defeated Casey Dellacqua 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 and then joined Nicolas Kiefer to beat Dellacqua and Lleyton Hewitt 6-7 (2), 6-3, 10-5. The good news for Hewitt is he won his first match since hip with a 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-2 win over Kiefer.
"It's great to be back," Hewitt said. "It feels good, the hip feels strong. I've done everything in my power to get as close to 100 percent for the Australian summer and it's a matter of just trying to come out here now and play a lot of matches. On Sunday, Marat Safin and Dinara Safina won their singles matches to give Russia a 2-1 win over Italy. France (Simon and Cornet ) plays Italy (Bolleli and Pennetta) on Tuesday while Australia takes on Slovakia.
Two quick notes: the up and down Peng Shuai has hired the intense Tarik Benhabiles as her new coach….U.S. citizen Shikha Uberoi, who has played 21 matches for the Indian Fed Cup team, won’t be able to compete in 2009 due to new rules by the Indian government that bar non citizens from competing. She says she’s “eating too many chocolates out of depression from not being allowed to play for India.” Maybe she can play for the U.S. in February against Argentina.

TUESDAY, DEC. 29 - Even though she underwent a previously undisclosed arthroscopic surgery on her bad right shoulder in mid-October, Maria Sharapova sounds confident that she might be able to defend her Australian Open title next month. MORE