Tennis: Australian Open organisers are bracing for a string of high-profile drop-outs after Andre Agassi announced he was withdrawing from the tournament.
The four-times Australian Open champion said he had been forced to pull out of the first grand slam of 2006 because of an ankle injury he suffered last year.
Agassi is the first major casualty from the Open but organisers are expecting more big-name absentees in the next week.
The reigning Australian Open men's champion Marat Safin is in serious doubt because of a long-term knee injury, French Open champion Rafael Nadal is in danger because of a foot problem and former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova is in jeopardy because of a shoulder complaint.
Australian Open tournament director Paul McNamee told reporters in Perth it was unlikely any of them would make it to Melbourne Park when the tournament starts on January 16th.
"I'm sure by Monday or Tuesday there'll be a lot of information, because if you're not on a plane by Monday I don't
think you're playing," he said. "We always lose a few players every year, but that's inevitable."
Nadal, the world's number-two-ranked player, injured his left foot in Madrid last year and hasn't played since. He pulled out of this week's Chennai Open and announced he was also withdrawing from next week's Sydney International, one of the last major warm-up events before the Australian Open.
"I've spoken with his management and they say it's 50-50 for the Australian Open," McNamee said. "I'm not optimistic now. I think he might miss. 50-50's not a great stat really in my experience."
Safin, who beat world number one Roger Federer in an epic semi-final last year before downing Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the final, is unlikely to defend his title.
The big Russian has been sidelined since last year and recently pulled out of the Hopman Cup in Perth while his compatriot Sharapova withdrew from the Australian women's hardcourt championships because of her own ongoing injury problems.
Meanwhile, Britain's Andy Murray was in a positive mood despite crashing out of the Adelaide International at the second-round stage this morning.
Sixth seed Tomas Berdych, of the Czech Republic, overcame the spirited Scot with a 7-6 4-6 6-1 success. But 18-year-old Murray felt he played better than when beating qualifier Paolo Lorenzi 3-6 6-0 6-2 in round one and remains on course for a bold showing at this month's Australian Open.
Murray told Radio Five Live: "Compared to my first match it was a lot better performance, so I have to be positive about that. I was much better on the ground, I came to the net a little bit and was moving well - I was just a bit disappointed I didn't serve as well as I can.
"But it was much better than my first match and you want to make sure you are playing better and getting closer and closer to your best with each match. For me, the most important tournament of this trip is the Australian Open."