Federer will be looking to add another Grand Slam crown to his kitty

Melbourne: World No. 1 Roger Federer and Lindsay Davenport were Thursday announced as top seeds for next week?s Australian Open here.

All of the top 20-ranked men are in the seedings with 15 of the top-20 women competing.

Defending Australian Open champion Federer dominates men?s tennis and last year won 11 tournaments including three Grand Slams and the Masters Cup, finishing the year with a win-loss record of 74-6.

Second seed Andy Roddick of the United States won four singles titles last year and was runner-up to Federer at Wimbledon. Australians Lleyton Hewitt was seeded three ahead of two-time beaten finalist Marat Safin of Russia.

Four-time Australian Open champion Andre Agassi was seeded eight and at 34 the American is the oldest man in the singles main draw, although a hip flexor strain at the Kooyong Classic Thursday cast a cloud over his participation.

American Davenport tops the women?s seedings after finishing 2004 with the top ranking for the third time in her career. She reached the semi-finals in 13 out of 17 tournaments, capturing seven singles titles.

Davenport, meanwhile, pulled out of the Sydney International on Thursday after being struck down by bronchitis. Davenport was due to play Samantha Stosur in the quarter finals but withdrew as a precaution.

?It?s just one of those things where my throat hurts, it?s hard to breathe, it?s hard to talk, I?m coughing and my body is just below average,? a croaky Davenport told a news conference.Davenport said she was taking medication and would try and get as much rest as possible in order to be ready for next week. ?Antibiotics and rest, that?s all that will help,? she said.

Second seed Amelie Mauresmo of France conceded last year?s quarter final against Colombian Fabiola Zuluaga in a walkover through injury but bounced back with a career-best season in 2004 of five singles titles.

Seven Russian players have been seeded for the Australian Open including five in the top 10. The Russian contingent will be led by third seed and French Open champion Anastasia Myskina, with wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova at four, US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova at five, US Open finalist Elena Dementieva at six and Vera Zvonareva at nine.

The 2003 Australian Open champion Serena Williams is back again after missing last year?s slam and was seeded seven with her sister Venus seeded eight. The draw takes place Friday.

THE top 20 SEEDS

MEN ? 1. Roger Federer (Swi), 2. Andy Roddick (US), 3. Lleyton Hewitt (Aus), 4. Marat Safin

(Rus), 5. Carlos Moya (Spa), 6. Guillermo Coria (Arg), 7. Tim Henman (GBR), 8. Andre Agassi (US), 9. David Nalbandian (Arg), 10. Gaston Gaudio (Arg), 11. Joachim Johansson (Swe), 12. Guillermo Canas (Arg), 13. Tommy Robredo (Spa), 14. Sebastien Grosjean (Fra), 15. Mikhail Youzhny (Rus), 16. Tommy Haas (Ger), 17. Andrei Pavel (Rom), 18. Nicolas Massu (Chi), 19. Vincent Spadea (US), 20. Dominik Hrbaty (Svk).

WOMEN ? 1. Lindsay Davenport (US), 2. Amelie Mauresmo (Fra), 3. Anastasia Myskina (Rus), 4. Maria Sharapova (Rus), 5. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus), 6. Elena Dementieva (Rus), 7. Serena Williams (US), 8. Venus Williams (US), 9. Vera Zvonareva (Rus), 10. Alicia Molik (Aus), 11. Nadia Petrova (Rus), 12. Patty Schnyder (Swi), 13. Karolina Sprem (Cro), 14. Francesca Schiavone (Ita), 15. Silvia Farina Elia (Ita), 16. Ai Sugiyama (Jpn), 17. Fabiola Zuluaga (Col), 18. Elena Likhovtseva (Rus), 19. Nathalie Dechy (Fra), 20. Tatiana Golovin (Fra).