Melbourne  - Even ice-calm Roger Federer admits that his stress levels have eased in recent months as he slipped from tennis' top ranking.

Still ranked second, the Swiss star said that he feels an eerie calm as he pursues a fourth title in six years at the Australian Open.

"Maybe I'm a bit more relaxed," he said after passing the first round against Italy's Andreas Seppi. "When you're number one you put your head down, you try to win as many tournaments as possible."

London  - Liverpool's title challenge suffered a serious blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw Monday by Everton.

Tim Cahill glanced in the equalizer with four minutes remaining to cancel out Steven Gerrard's opener, which fell midway through the second half.

The draw leaves Liverpool second in the table, level on points with Manchester United, who have a superior goal-difference and a game in hand.

It was the fourth game out of their last five at home that Liverpool have drawn, and it is that inability to break down dogged opponents that is costing Rafa Benitez's side.

Portimao, Portugal  - The Formula 1 circus, which on this crisis year is set to cut its spending by some 30 per cent at the request of the FIA, launched the first joint tests Monday in Portimao, Portugal with a show that was in accordance with the new era: grey, lacklustre and somewhat disappointing.

"It is not at all sexy," an Italian journalist said of the new weapon in the hands of double world champion Fernando Alonso.

Rome  - AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani was expected Monday to meet the father of Brazilian star Kaka, who is acting as the player's agent in a possible transfer deal to Manchester City, Italian media reported.

Galliani in the early afternoon discussed the offer made by City, which appears to be of about 100 million euros (131 million dollars), with club owner and Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

London  - Manchester City's hopes of signing Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn Rovers suffered a major blow on Monday as Rovers manager Sam Allardyce insisted he had no intention of selling.

City boss Mark Hughes, who left Blackburn last season, has made no secret of his admiration for the player, but Allardyce said he would consider an offer only if it was equal to the cost of relegation - estimated by him to be 40 million pounds (58.1 million dollars).

Rome/Paris - The agent of French midfielder Frank Ribery has denied reports AC Milan had made an offer to Bayern Munich for the player, the Italian website calciomercato. it reported on Monday.

"I know the management of Milan very well, but nobody called me about Ribery," the football agent Alain Migliaccio was quoted as saying. "It's just allegations and suppositions by newspapers."