Strong field to compete in the Brisbane International from January 4-11

Crowd favourites Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and former world number one Ana Ivanovic top the bill at the Brisbane International as the players gear up for the season's opening Grand Slam.

The Serbian duo are top seeds for the January 4-11 tournament, which replaces the Australian Men's and Women's Hardcourt events, at the new Queensland Tennis Centre.

World number three Djokovic won his first Grand Slam in Melbourne last year and finished 2008 in style, winning the season-ending Masters Cup.

Although he is just 10 points behind world number two Roger Federer in the world rankings, the Serb will also be looking over his shoulder in 2009 at Britain's rampaging Andy Murray.

The Brisbane International is Djokovic's only warm-up event ahead of his Australian Open title defence later this month.

His main rival for the title will be Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the man Djokovic beat in the Melbourne final last year. The draw also includes Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, Czech Tomas Berdych and 2007 Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis, from Cyprus.

Tsonga is part of a strong French contingent also featuring Richard Gasquet, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau.

The second-seeded Tsonga has beaten Djokovic three times since his Australian Open defeat last year and said this week he was confident he could continue his run.

"For me, it was very difficult to lose the final to Novak,'' Tsonga said.

"So it's given me a lot of motivation for the rest of the year and now I hope I will win against him the next time.''

Former world number eight Baghdatis, who has slipped to 98 in the rankings, is hoping to put an injury-plagued year behind him as he again targets the world's elite.

"I feel happy being on court again... I feel fitter than ever,'' he said.

"It (2008) was a bad year and I want to forget about it and just try to come back and get to the top 20.''

In the women's draw, world number five and French Open champion Ivanovic should have an easier ride with the next best player, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, ranked 10 places below the Serb.

But Ivanovic's sternest challenge could come from Daniela Hantuchova, the fourth seed from Slovakia.

Hantuchova reached the semi-finals of last year's Australian Open and said the stifling hot Brisbane weather would help her prepare for the conditions in Melbourne.

"Getting used to the conditions is going to take a few days,'' she said.

"I'm very glad I came earlier. I was saying to my coach if I can play in Brisbane, I think I can play anywhere.

"These days any tournament, anybody can win, so I think women's tennis at the moment is very exciting - you have so many great players and it's very tough.''