Following a season featuring three Grand Slam titles, more than 6 million US dollars in prize money and last three tournament wins, Roger Federer still feels the need to keep on going into the new season soon.

"I know I must start 2005 with as many wins as possible to go into the Australian Open with confidence," the top-ranked Swiss said Sunday on the eve of the Qatar Open.

"Like everybody else, for me also the season starts here in Doha and I want to win here to retain my top ranking."

As the top seed in the 1 million dollars outdoor, hardcourt event, Federer faces David Ferrer of Spain in Monday's opening match.

"I am keen to start my season on a positive note. Last year I lost in the quarter-finals here in Doha but I definitely want to better that performance this time over," Federer said.

Besides Federer, others in the 32-man tournament that is the most prominent of three events that open the ATP season include second seed Gaston Gaudio of France, third seed Sebastien Grosjeanof France and fourth seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia.

Gaudio, winner at last year's French Open, is the only player in Doha with a Grand Slam title besides Federer.

Andrei Pavel of Romania, Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, Feliciano Lopez of Spain and Nikolay Davydenko of Russia also are among the seeds for the 142,000 dollars winner's purse.

Federer, who besides his three Grand Slam victories won eight other titles in 2004 including the season-ending Masters Cup in November, would have a likely second-round match against Britain'sGreg Rusedski and 15th-ranked Grosjean in the semi-finals.

In the bottom half of the draw, Gaudio has 2003 Russian Davis Cup hero Youzhny, last Spain's Rafael Nadal, and Pavel.

Gaudio takes on wild-card entrant teenager Gael Monfils of France in his opening match.

Source: Xinhua