| Safin, Nadal out of Australian Open(Reuters)
 Updated: 2006-01-11 09:19
 
 Federer will tune up at Kooyong event at Kooyong starting Wednesday. The 
Swiss star took some time off after losing to David Nalbandian in the 
season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai in November.
 He then spent 10 days in Australia over the holidays working with coach Tony 
Roche before returning to Doha to defend his title there last week.
 "I'm very pleased about it because after Shanghai I was wondering how it was 
going to be," Federer said of his ankle at a news conference. "I'm happy to say 
I'll be playing at 100 percent again."
 Nadal said on his Web site that he trained with Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten on 
clay on Monday in Barcelona and decided he was not fit enough to play.
 "I am especially sorry for those tennis fans who have been supportive 
throughout my absence and wanted to see me in Australia," the 19-year-old 
Spaniard said. "We have spoken to the tournament director and he has sent me a 
warm message understanding the situation."
 Nadal, winner of 11 titles in 2005, withdrew from the Paris Masters, the 
season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, and events this month in Chennai, India, 
and Sydney.
 "I have seen his foot today and it looks well," said Nadal's doctor, Angel 
Ruiz-Cotorro. "He had an injury on his foot that has healed, although the 
recovery process is very slow."
 Nadal plans to return to competitive tennis at the ATP event in Marseille, 
France, on Feb. 13.
 
 
 
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