Roger Federer the one to beat at Aussie Open

"It's going to take a good player to beat me." Coming from Federer the statement has an ominous quality that few will quibble.

"It's going to take a good player to beat me." Coming from another player it might seem like an empty boast.

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Coming from Roger Federer, the statement has an ominous quality that few of his contemporaries will quibble with heading into the Australian Open.

The dazzling Swiss world number one and defending champion has compiled a dossier of evidence that gives his statement a resounding ring of truth.

The proof is in the pudding. The 23-year-old has won 21 consecutive matches, he hasn't lost in his last 14 finals and last year he won all 18 encounters with his top-10 opponents.

Federer won three of last year's grand slams only bombing out to clay specialist Gustavo Kuerten in the third round of the French Open.

Andre Agassi, one of the greats of modern-era tennis with eight grand slam crowns and only the fifth man in history to annex all four of the grand slams, best summed up Federer's place in the game.