Tennis : Federer and Nadal Headline Field at Rogers Cup Tennis Tournament

TORONTO - After a month-long break, the top two men's tennis players in the world are ready to get back to business.

World No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland and No. 2 Rafael Nadal of Spain headline the 64-man field at the $2.45-million US Rogers Cup, which begins Monday at the Rexall Centre on the campus of York University.

The Masters Series event boasts 17 of the top 20 players in the world, but many fans will be hoping to witness another chapter in the rivalry between Federer and Nadal, who have owned the ATP Tour this season and are playing for the first time since meeting in the Wimbledon final.

Nadal won the Rogers Cup last year in Montreal while Federer won here in 2004. Two other former champions, Marat Safin of Russia (2000) and Thomas Johansson of Sweden (1999), are also in the field but former winners Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi were late withdrawals. Roddick, the 2003 champ, is nursing a muscle strain in his side while Agassi - a three-time champ ('92, '94, '95) who pulled out Friday - will concentrate on getting ready for the next Masters Series event in Cincinnati before ending his stellar career at the U.S. Open.

Federer, who turns 25 on Tuesday, is coming in on a high after beating Nadal in the final for his fourth straight Wimbledon title four weeks ago. He will open against Paul-Henri Mathieu of France, his same opponent from the first round at the All-England Club. Federer is an impressive 56-4 record this season but all four losses - including one in the French Open final - have come to Nadal, who is 43-5 on the year.

Federer said he enjoys their rivalry and thinks it's good for the sport.

"I think it deserves the attention," he said. "We've been playing so good for the last one and-a-half years. He's been really coming along since his French Open win back in '05. He's been able to back it up on clay and then also he's started to improve on hardcourt and on grass. The difference is not that big anymore."

Nadal, 20, handed Federer his lone hardcourt loss of the season in the final at Dubai last March. However, the Spanish star could be tested early as he opens against Nicolas Massu of Chile, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

There are some other intriguing first-round matchups, which will be spread out over two days. Former French Open champions Gaston Gaudio of Argentina and Carlos Moya of Spain will square off while veteran Frenchman Fabrice Santoro will take on rising star and countryman Richard Gasquet. There's even an all-Canadian matchup between wild-card entries Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., and Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont.

Daniel Nestor of Toronto and Philip Bester of North Vancouver, B.C., also picked up wild-card spots but both have tough draws. Nestor faces No. 13 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic while Bester will take on fifth-seeded James Blake of the U.S.

Nestor and partner Mark Knowles of the Bahamas are seeded fourth in the 24-team doubles field. The top seeds are Bob and Mike Bryan of the U.S.

The weather is expected to cooperate for the 125th anniversary of the tournament with warm temperatures and sunny skies in the long-term forecast.

Organizers had to do make some last-minute changes to the draw after Roddick's withdrawal was announced Sunday afternoon. It was good news for Robby Ginepri, who was slated to meet No. 3 David Nalbandian of Argentina. Ginepri instead became the No. 17 seed and will play qualifier and fellow American Kevin Kim while Nalbandian will face qualifier Davide Sanguinetti of Italy. Roddick's No. 9 seed position was not filled and lucky loser Nicolas Mahut of France was added to the draw. He'll play Czech qualifier Jan Hernych.

Tournament director Grant Connell said he understood that Roddick wanted to take some more time to nurse the strain in his left side that also kept him out of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington.

"When he cancelled his flight from Texas, I knew his injury was still an issue," Connell said. "Andy loves the hardcourt surface and I'm certain he wishes he could play in Toronto."

Roddick issued a statement saying he was very disappointed that he could not compete, adding he's optimistic he'll be back in top form for the U.S. Open.

Connell is still pleased with the depth of the field, calling it one of the strongest in tournament history. The winner of Sunday's final will receive $400,000 while the winning doubles team will split $99,300.

Notes: Six-time champion Ivan Lendl, tennis great Roy Emerson and Robert Bedard, the last Canadian to win the tournament, will be on hand for the opening ceremonies . . . I.F. Hellmuth won the first edition of the Canadian Open at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club in 1881 . . . The women's Rogers Cup will be played at Montreal's Uniprix Stadium Aug. 12-20. Kim Clijsters of Belgium won the tournament last year.