Paradorn Srichaphan takes a Unicef box into the crowd to collect money for tsunami victims in Melbourne on Tuesday. Other stars to join him were Amelie Mauresmo, Anastasia Myskina, Jonas Bjorkman and Todd Woodbridge

Melbourne: Rod Laver?s wife is seriously ill in California and the 11-time Grand Slam singles champion will be unable to attend the 100th anniversary of the Australian Open, organisers said Tuesday.

Laver, an Australian who won all four Grand Slam singles tournaments in 1962 and in 1969, was planning to attend the tournament with his son and daughter in the second week to pre- sent the trophy to the men?s singles champion on January 30.

But Laver, 66, informed that his wife, Mary, has a serious illness that will prevent him from leaving his home in Carlsbad, California.

No improvement

• Andy Roddick dumped Brad Gilbert as coach in December because ?the relationship had run its course,? Roddick said Tuesday.

?I had plateaued a little bit at the end of last year and definitely needed ... To get a fresh start,? Roddick said after his 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 win over Irakli Labadze. ?The last six months or so, I had stopped kind of improving. And that?s something I definitely wanted to work on.?

Roddick said Gilbert was disappointed with the decision.