Seeds unchanged for Australian Open

Australian Open organisers have decided to leave Belgian duo Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin as potential banana skins in the tournament draw, refusing to tinker with world rankings in naming their seeds on Thursday.

Current world number ones Roger Federer and Serena Williams will be top seeds for the Open starting next Monday.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the organisers have resisted the temptation to meddle with the current rankings status quo, leaving Henin unseeded and Clijsters seeded 15th as the former world No 1s continue their mouth-watering comebacks to the sport.

Only two Australians have been seeded - Lleyton Hewitt 22nd in the men's singles and Samantha Stosur 13th in the women's draw.

Defending men's champion Rafael Nadal is the No 2 seed, putting him on course to meet Federer in the final. Russian Dinara Safina - humiliated by Williams in last year's final - is the No 2 women's seed.

Seven-time grand slam winner Henin could now bob up anywhere in the women's singles draw when it is made on Friday at Melbourne Park - a very nasty surprise for any top-ranked players unlucky enough to face her in the first round.

Clijsters also looms as a potential round of 16 opponent for a high-ranked player with her seeding.