Federer, Nadal to start 2010 in Doha again

DOHA - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will again start their tennis seasons with New Year’s appearances at the Capitala World Championship before heading to Australia to prepare for the Grand Slam.

Officials at the Dec 31-Jan 2 event announced Monday that they have secured the top two in the world for a three-day, six-player tournament won last year by Scot Andy Murray over Nadal.

Joining the field at the exhibition event will be Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko, Fernando Verdasco of Spain and French Open finalist Robin Soderling of Sweden.

Federer’s usual schedule calls for him to play the week before the Australian Open at the Kooyong club invitational event in Melbourne but he has not yet committed for 2010.

Organisers are holding a spot for him in that eight-man field at what is considered the top Grand Slam tune-up.