Federer content with Australian Open draw

 ROGER Federer will have no complaints with his draw for next week's Australian Open.

FLASHBACK: Roger Federer will be looking to erase memories of last year's final defeat to Rafael Nadal (Getty Images)

The three-time winner, whose quest for a fourth title ended in tears last year following an epic final with Rafael Nadal, will open his campaign at Melbourne Park against Russia's world number 36 Igor Andreev, who has lost nine of his last ten Tour matches.

In-form Nikolay Davydenko is a potential last eight opponent as the world number one looks to continue his run of reaching consecutive Grand Slam semi-finals, a streak that lasts back to 2004.

Federer always held a bit of a hex over the Russian, winning their first 12 matches, but he lost to him at the ATP Tour World Finals in London last year and in the semi-finals of last week's Qatar Open in Doha.

Third seed Novak Djokovic, the 2008 Australian Open winner, is seeded to face Federer in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Andy Murray's decision not to defend the ranking points he won at last year's Qatar Open could prove costly.

Murray has consequently dropped to world number five and is also seeded fifth for the first Grand Slam of the season.

And that means he faces a likely quarter-final against reigning champion Nadal, who faces Australia's Peter Luczak in the first round.

The British number one plays a qualifier in the first round but also has US Open winner Juan Martin Del Potro - who has temporarily edged ahead of him in the world rankings - on his side of the draw.

If he wins his first round match, Murray will come up against either Marc Gicquel or Simone Bolelli, with Austria's Jurgen Melzer seeded to meet him in the third round.  

In the women's draw wildcard Justine Henin, returning to Melbourne Park after a two-year absence, avoided a first round seed but could play fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters in the quarter-finals.

Venus and Serena Williams are in the same half of the draw.

Defending champion and world number one Serena faces Poland's Urszula Radwanska in her opening match.

There was good news for Great Britain's Elena Baltacha and Katie O'Brien, who both drew opponents below them in the world rankings.

Baltacha will meet France's Pauline Parmentier, while O'Brien was drawn against Austrian Patricia Mayr.