Federer fitness under spotlight

With only two weeks to go before the start of the French Open, world number one Roger Federer needs to prove his fitness and form at the Hamburg Masters starting on Monday.

The Swiss, who has yet to win the claycourt Grand Slam at Roland Garros, withdrew from last week's Rome Masters due to inflamed foot ligaments but has declared himself fit for the defence of his Hamburg title at the Rothenbaum.

Top seed Federer faces a tricky first round match on Monday against Spain's Fernando Verdasco and could meet another claycourt specialist, Argentine Guillermo Coria, in the last eight. Federer beat Coria in the 2004 Hamburg final.

"I'm feeling good and I am the defending champion here so I have high hopes to do it again," said the 23-year-old Swiss, who has been back in training since last Tuesday.

"The draw is not the easiest one but I've been feeling good in practice."

The reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion said his coach Tony Roche would be keeping an eye on him this week as he seeks his sixth title of the season.

"It's not every week that he is with me so I hope I can put in a good effort here," said Federer, who took part in an exhibition match staged on a pontoon floating in the River Elbe in Hamburg Harbour on Saturday.

Australian Lleyton Hewitt is again absent due to a toe injury but fast-rising Spaniard Rafael Nadal is likely to mount another strong challenge on his favoured surface -- if the 18-year-old has recovered from his exertions against Coria in the Rome final on Sunday.

NADAL DOUBT

Nadal won an exhausting five-set thriller against Coria to claim his third title in a row and extend his winning streak to 17 matches.

He finished the match, however, with a badly blistered racket hand, placing his participation in Hamburg in doubt.

Neither he nor Coria, seeded six and 10 respectively, are scheduled to play on Monday. Nadal also has a tough first round opponent in Russian Igor Andreev, the winner in Valencia last month. Coria plays American Vince Spadea.

Second seed Andy Roddick of the U.S. plays Chile's Olympic champion Nicolas Massu on Monday in another intriguing contest.

Britons Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski will meet in the second round if they win their first round matches. Fifth seed Henman plays German Lars Burgsmuller and Rusedski takes on German Philipp Petzschner, both on Monday.

The winner of the fifth of the nine Masters Series events this year will earn 340,000 euros ($440,300).