Safin, Nadal out of Australian Open
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-11 09:19

Federer will tune up at Kooyong event at Kooyong starting Wednesday. The Swiss star took some time off after losing to David Nalbandian in the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai in November.

He then spent 10 days in Australia over the holidays working with coach Tony Roche before returning to Doha to defend his title there last week.

"I'm very pleased about it because after Shanghai I was wondering how it was going to be," Federer said of his ankle at a news conference. "I'm happy to say I'll be playing at 100 percent again."

Nadal said on his Web site that he trained with Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten on clay on Monday in Barcelona and decided he was not fit enough to play.

"I am especially sorry for those tennis fans who have been supportive throughout my absence and wanted to see me in Australia," the 19-year-old Spaniard said. "We have spoken to the tournament director and he has sent me a warm message understanding the situation."

Nadal, winner of 11 titles in 2005, withdrew from the Paris Masters, the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, and events this month in Chennai, India, and Sydney.

"I have seen his foot today and it looks well," said Nadal's doctor, Angel Ruiz-Cotorro. "He had an injury on his foot that has healed, although the recovery process is very slow."

Nadal plans to return to competitive tennis at the ATP event in Marseille, France, on Feb. 13.