Serena Williams roars out in pursuit of perfect year

Australian Open: Women's world No 1 aims to complete set of major tennis titles as Hewitt renews rivalry with Agassi

Only one major title eluded Serena Williams last year during a spectacular season in which the sight of her skipping around court waving silver trophies became almost commonplace. The world No 1 hopes to remedy that oversight when she begins her campaign for the Australian Open in Melbourne next week.

If the 21-year-old American succeeds in adding the Australian to her French, Wimbledon and US crowns, she will have won four in a row – not a Grand Slam, which has to be completed in a calendar year, but a "Serena Slam", as she is calling it. She has also tossed down a gauntlet, declaring that she aims to be undefeated this year after dropping just five matches last season.

Serena appeared happy and relaxed when she arrived at Melbourne airport last week; Australian newspapers noted breathlessly that she removed her own luggage from the carousel and signed autographs for the fans who swarmed around her.

She has every reason to be good-natured and confident; after withdrawing with an ankle strain on the opening day at Melbourne Park last year, she went on to dominate the women's game completely, beating her elder sister and closest rival, Venus, in the other three Grand Slam finals.

That scenario could well be repeated in Melbourne, where Serena and Venus are seeded first and second respectively. Venus, a former US Open and Wimbledon champion, will be hoping to steal back the limelight, but Serena, having finally emerged from her sister's shadow, appears to have the competitive edge.

The smart money is on a Williams name being inscribed on the silverware two weeks today, but the outcome cannot be taken for granted. Neither sister has ever shone at Melbourne Park; the awkward timing of the first major of the season appears to suit them poorly and they have often arrived injured or lacking in match practice.

One player hoping to break their stranglehold on the game is 19-year-old Kim Clijsters, the Belgian No 4 seed who beat the sisters back-to-back, defeating Serena for the first time, at the WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles in November.

The victory gave a big confidence boost to Clijsters, a semi-finalist in Melbourne last year, although Serena attributed the defeat to fatigue and beat the Belgian at the Hopman Cup in Perth last week.

Clijsters believes she has an advantage over the rest of the field because she has been in Australia for a month, having spent the off-season break in Adelaide with her partner, Lleyton Hewitt. After practising in the Adelaide heat with Hewitt, the world No 1, she is already acclimatised and appears to be in top form.

Another player determined to believe the Williams sisters are not invincible is Jennifer Capriati, the dual Australian Open champion chasing a hat-trick. Capriati, who is so touchy about her fellow Americans that she refuses to answer questions about them at press conferences, is one of the few women with the strength to challenge their power game.

Then there is Lyndsay Davenport, returning to the game after eight months in the wilderness with a knee injury. Another power player, the 26-year-old American, who is seeded ninth for this tournament, could be dangerous because she has nothing to lose; she has slipped to no 12 in the world list and has no rankings points to defend until July.

Davenport, who recently got engaged to her long-term partner, Jon Leach, is fit, slimmed-down and has a new coach, Rick Leach, her future brother-in-law.

Martina Hingis, who has finished runner-up for the last two years in Melbourne, will not be competing this year. She has a serious ankle injury and her career appears in the doldrums at the age of 22.

In the men's tournament, numerous absentees include Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, the top British players, who are both laid-up with injuries. Pete Sampras, the US Open title-holder, is resting, while last year's Australian Open champion, Sweden's Thomas Johannson, is injured, as is Tommy Haas of Germany. There are also doubts about the fitness of Marat Safin, the Russian No 3 seed and runner-up last year, who pulled out of the Sydney warm-up tournament this week with a shoulder injury.

Pat Rafter, the former US Open champion, has finally announced his retirement after lengthy prevarication. The popular Queenslander, who has been absent from the circuit for a year, said he regretted not winning Wimbledon and the Davis Cup, but no longer had the motivation to compete.

Once again the focus of attention in Melbourne will be 21-year-old Hewitt, the reigning Wimbledon champion, who wants to become the first Australian to win the home grand slam event since Mark Edmondson in 1976.

Hewitt, who held the top ranking throughout last year, was struck down by chicken pox at the start of the season 12 months ago and lost in the first round of the Australian Open.

Hewitt has never progressed beyond the fourth round at Melbourne Park. This year, his greatest obstacle will be Andre Agassi, the second seed, who is 11 years his senior but fighting fit. Agassi did not win a grand slam title last year, but had a great season and became the oldest player to end the year at no 2.

Hewitt will want to avenge his defeat by Agassi in last year's US Open. If all goes according to plan over the next fortnight, their rivalry will ensure a thrilling final.