The Australian Open is likely to be shifted back a week to late January in 2006 and could be moved to March in 2007, tournament chief executive Paul McNamee said on Wednesday.

McNamee said the men's and women's tours and the Davis Cup ending in November meant the top players could rest for only a few weeks before preparing for the Australian Open from January 19 to February 1.

He said world tennis needed to work together to shorten the season, rather than put pressure on the Australian Open to change their dates as a solution to the problem.

"The issue for the sport is whether we could get away with only a one-week change ... or March, but that's in 2007," McNamee told a news conference at the Australian Open tournament launch in Melbourne.

"If there was any change for 2006 it would be a maximum of one week, but we haven't decided that yet.

"We of course would like to see a longer off-season. The end of the year is too late.

"We have to keep pressure on the rest of the sport. It shouldn't be left to Australia to solve all the problems and that's the thing that we're most disappointed about."

Spain's world number one and French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero hinted last month he would consider skipping next year's Australian Open.

The 23-year-old is expected to join his Spanish team mates in Melbourne on November 28-30 for the Davis Cup final against Australia.

McNamee said Tennis Australia would have to bring a recommendation to world tennis officials at the Houston Masters event next month.

McNamee said he was aware of clashes with international and domestic schedules, including the Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne in March.

"It's true we're slightly early. We need to put pressure on the sport to try to fix up the end of the year and take pressure off a more radical move," he said.

WILLIAMS SISTERS TO PLAY

McNamee said Venus and Australian Open champion Serena Williams, who are mourning the death of their sister Yetunde Price were keen to play in Melbourne. Price was fatally shot in a Los Angeles suburb last month.

"I'm very, very hopeful with Serena and Venus," McNamee said.

"I have no doubt they are intending to come, even though they have been through something very traumatic."

McNamee added he was hopeful former Australia Federation Cup player Jelena Dokic would return in January although he had received no confirmation from the world number 26.

Dokic, 20, reverted to Yugoslav nationality in 2001 after her father Damir said the Australian Open draw was rigged against his daughter. Dokic has skipped the past two Australian Opens.

Prize money for the Open has risen by 4.5 percent to A$19 million ($13 million), to be split evenly between the men and women, McNamee said.

American Andre Agassi beat Germany's Rainer Schuettler in the men's final this year after top seed Serena Williams defeated second seed Venus Williams in the women's final.