Grand Slam greats drawn together in Australia

The past, present and future of American men's tennis have all been drawn in the same quarter of the draw at the Australian Open on Friday, while in the women's field Martina Hingis faces another gargantuan task to end her grand slam drought.

Defending champion Andre Agassi, record grand slam winner Pete Sampras and U.S. Davis Cup team mates Andy Roddick and Jan-Michael Gambill all feature in a power-heavy second quarter of the men's singles.

To crank up the power quotient even higher, they are joined in that section by Russia's Marat Safin.

For Agassi to defend his crown and win in Melbourne for the fourth time he could have to overcome Roddick, Sampras and top seed Lleyton Hewitt just to reach the final.

"That's such a powerful section of the draw...there are going to be some explosive matches," tournament director Paul McNamee said at Melbourne Park on Thursday.

Hewitt faces Spain's Alberto Martin in the first round as he bids to become the first Australian to win his home grand slam since Mark Edmonson in 1976.

Third-seeded Hingis, without a grand slam title since her victory here in 1999, has been drawn to play Serena Williams in the quarter-finals, Venus Williams in the semifinals and Jennifer Capriati in the final -- exactly the same scenario as last year.

INTRIGUING CLASH

In 2001 she managed the first two legs but came up short against Capriati in the final showdown.

Top seed Capriati plays Croatia's Silvija Talaja in the first round.

Another intriguing clash for the women is the first round meeting between sixth-seeded Belgian Justine Henin and Russia's Anna Kournikova.

The first seed in Hewitt's way could be 27th seed Dutchman Sjeng Schalken as he looks for a quiet early passage as he recovers from chicken pox.

If he is fit enough to survive, he could meet last year's runner-up Arnaud Clement in the fourth round with Roger Federer waiting in the quarter-finals.

"You can't expect him to be at his absolute best in the early rounds but I think he'll be able to manage his way through," McNamara said.

"He has not been training at full pace because medically that would not have been the right thing to do."

In the bottom half second seed Gustavo Kuerten has a gentler ride, opening against France's Julien Boutter and is seeded to meet 16th seed Thomas Johansson in the fourth round.

DANGER MAN

Kuerten could meet British sixth seed Tim Henman in the quarter-finals, but Henman is in the same section as compatriot Greg Rusedski and danger man Mark Philippoussis.

He is likely to play one or the other in the third round before Argentine Guillermo Canas in the fourth with Kuerten lurking in the quarters.

Fourth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov opens against a qualifier and is seeded to meet Spain's Alex Corretja in the fourth round.

After that he could meet Goran Ivanisevic, a loser in the first round of qualifying last year and 10th seed this time.

Women's second seed Venus Williams received a favourable draw.

Starting against a qualifier, she's seeded to meet Daniela Hantuchova in the third round, Magdalena Maleeva in the fourth round before her first test of any note, Monica Seles in the quarter-finals.

She would then face Hingis in the semis if the Swiss can beat her younger sister Serena in the last eight.

"Yes, Martina's in the same situation as last year," McNamara said. "It is a repeat of last year. She came up short then, but you never know what will happen this year...grand slams never follow the script."