Ferrero withdraws from Sydney tourney

SYDNEY (Reuters) -- World No. 5 Juan Carlos Ferrero has withdrawn from the Sydney international tournament starting on Sunday because of a knee injury, officials said on Saturday.

"He contacted tournament director Craig Watson and told us a knee injury was still giving him problems," tournament spokesman Craig Gabriel said on Saturday.

"The details are still sketchy but I believe he suffered the injury while training about four weeks ago."

The Spaniard's absence moves Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, the world No. 6, up to top seed in the January 6-12 event, which is a warm-up for the Australian Open starting on Jan. 14 in Melbourne.

Australia's world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt, the defending champion in the Sydney international, is unavailable for the tournament because of chicken pox and world No. 1 women's player Lindsay Davenport withdrew this week with a knee injury.

Switzerland's Roger Federer is second seed ahead of American teenager Andy Roddick.

Roddick said his preparations for his Australian campaign had been hampered by a baggage mix-up.

"I haven't been able to do any training because I haven't got any clothes," he said.

World No. 16 Roddick plays Australian wild card Andrew Ilie in the first round. "He's probably one of my favorite players to watch," Roddick said. "He's so exciting and has every shot so it's going to be tough."

The top four seeds in the women's draw, Jennifer Capriati, Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams, have first-round byes.

Switzerland's Hingis beat Davenport in last year's final.

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