Australian Open hit by high-profile withdrawals

SYDNEY, Jan 4 (Reuters) The Australian Open looks certain to go ahead again without many of the sport's biggest names after confirmation world number one Justin Henin-Hardenne was pulling out of the first grand slam of 2007.

Tournament organisers said today that the Belgian, Australian Open champion in 2004 and runner-up last year, would miss the tournament for ''personal reasons''.

Henin-Hardenne's withdrawal is another blow to an event that was already resigned to missing several high-profile players and expecting plenty more before it gets underway on January 15.

Four-times champion and crowd favourite Andre Agassi, a staunch supporter of the event when many top Americans did not come to Melbourne, announced his retirement after last year's US Open.

Melbourne's favourite son Mark Philippoussis is also out after being told he needs knee surgery and former champion Mary Pierce of France has also succumbed to a knee problem.

Former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina hurt her toe in Auckland this week and flew home to Moscow for treatment and Argentine David Nalbandian is struggling to overcome tendinitis in his knee.

American Venus Williams is also in doubt after pulling out of the Hopman Cup with a wrist injury, although her younger sister Serena is confirmed as a starter after missing the event in the past.

It is not unusual for top players to miss the Australian Open through injuries suffered the previous season, but this year's drop-out rate could be higher than normal.

Henin-Hardenne was among the high-profile casualties in 2005, along with 2004 finalist Kim Clijsters and Jennifer Capriati, the 2001 and 2002 winner.

Russian Marat Safin did not defend his title last year and Rafael Nadal failed to show up because of a foot problem, leading to renewed calls to shift the tournament to a later date.

In the days before easy jet travel, the top players in Europe and the US preferred to stay at home rather than undertake the lengthy journey.

Even now, the top players are regularly missing and the problem is made worse by Australia's scorching summer heat where on-court temperatures often exceed 45 degrees Celsius.

Players have long been demanding the first grand slam of the year, which is traditionally held in the last two weeks of January, be moved back to March when the weather is cooler and also to give them a longer break.

Tennis Australia officials did agree to push this year's tournament back one week but later scrapped the plan and reverted to the original dates.

REUTERS SAM SSC1401