Slam must stay Down Under, says Serena

MELBOURNE: Defending Australian Open champion Serena Williams joined men's world number one Roger Federer on Monday in calling for the season-opening Grand Slam to remain in Melbourne.

Williams, a three-time champion here, dismissed suggestions the tournament should be rotated among countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China and Japan, saying she could not envisage it being held outside Australia.

"The Australian Open belongs in Australia, I can't imagine it being anywhere else," she said after her first round victory against Australian qualifier Jarmila Gajdsova.

"I love it, when you come here, you listen to the accent. My whole life when I was watching tennis it's like, 'Oh, I want to go to Australia and play the Australan Open'."

"When I'm playing my video game, I'm playing in Australia. So it belongs here."

Federer on Sunday said it would be wrong if Australia lost the right to host one of the four tennis Grand Slams in favour of emerging economic giant China.

"I don't see a change in the near future, talking about the next 20 years," he said of the tournament.

"For me, it's an obvious choice. It's been here for a long time now."

The 12-time Grand Slam champion, three of them won in Melbourne, said Australia's rich history in hosting a tennis major since 1905 should be respected.

The 2007 Australian Open drew record crowds of 5,54,858 and has topped a half-million fans for the fortnight since 2000.