TENNIS: The defiant smile was still on Greg Rusedski's face yesterday less than half an hour after he was defeated 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 by Mark Philippoussis in the Adidas International.

Rusedski's extraordinary ability to remain almost manically cheerful in adversity must be coming in very handy at the moment and he will need it in spades as he goes into the Australian Open starting on Monday.

Thanks to the support of family, friends and, he claims, his fellow players, he has survived the media maelstrom around him in the week since he announced his positive test for nandrolone, and yesterday declared that he thought the worst of the fuss was over. "I think everything has been said that needs to be said," said Rusedski. "These last two days have been quite refreshing and quiet. I think the journalists have asked me all the questions that need to be asked. Hopefully in Melbourne I'll only be asked about tennis."

Rusedski may truly believe the storm will die down until the independent tribunal hears his case on February 9th. Yet if he does, then he is being extraordinarily naive. The reality is that when the British number two has his first practice at Melbourne Park tomorrow, after a day off to recover from an emotionally exhausting week, there are bound to be just as many camera crews filming him as there were in Sydney, if not more.

For the record, on the evidence of his match against Philippoussis, number four seed here, it is doing rather well, as is the rest of his game. Whatever Rusedski's failings, he is one of nature's fighters and the fact he is playing this well is a tribute to his resilience given the turmoil he must be feeling inside.

Indeed, he could have beaten the powerful Australian and, had he not been playing only his fourth match since September, probably would have done. He was close in the first set, played an exemplary second set and forced the man nicknamed Scud to pull out some of his mightiest serves to pull back from 40-15 down at 4-4 in the decider.