Andy Roddick [ Images ] is likely to be the main beneficiary of the late withdrawal of world number one Roger Federer [ Images ] from the Rome Masters with a foot injury.

Roddick has traditionally struggled on clay, a surface that saps the power from his huge first serve, and his best result in Rome is reaching the semi-finals in 2002.

Last year's tournament holds bad memories for the American as his opening match defeat by Guillermo Canas [ Images ] was his only first-round exit of 2004.

This year, however, he arrives on the back of victory in Houston - his only claycourt event of the year so far - and he will be confident of beating his opening round opponent, Greg Rusedski [ Images ], another big server neutered by clay.

The only serious threat to Roddick, the top seed, claiming a place in the last eight looks to be a possible second-round match against former French Open [ Images ] champion Alberto Costa.

Australian Open [ Images ] champion Marat Safin [ Images ], French Open champion Gaston Gaudio and Tim Henman [ Images ] are the other top seeds and none of them have made it past the third round here.

Henman seems most at risk of an early exit. The Briton has a tough first-round match with three-times French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten, on the comeback trail after hip surgery.

If past form in this French Open warm-up is anything to go by, the winner of the title will be Spanish.

Spain's slow court specialists have won three of the last four Rome tournaments - Juan Carlos Ferrero [ Images ] triumphed in 2001 followed by Felix Mantilla in 2003 and Carlos Moya [ Images ] last year.

Of this trio, only Moya is back this year but the meteoric rise of 19-year-old compatriot Rafael Nadal [ Images ] means Spain have another serious contender.

Nadal claimed his first ATP title barely a year ago. Of the six claycourt tournaments he has played this year, Nadal has won four including last month's Master Series event in Monte Carlo where he crushed Gaudio 6-3, 6-0 in the quarter-finals.

"Nadal is definitely up there and playing great on clay," said Roddick on Saturday.