MELBOURNE, Australia -- Serena Williams is never far from the center of attention.

The 18-year-old U.S. Open champion has been sporting a new outfit of matching bright-red shoes plus black and red tennis dress at the Australian Open.

And she boasts that her shoes are the talk of the women's tour and that she's a genuine trend setter.

"They all like it," said Williams, who wears Puma products.

"I can see it now. Nike (will) come out with blue shoes, or Reebok with green shoes" just to compete, she said.

Top-ranked Martina Hingis, who is wearing adidas this year, said she had asked for purple shoes to go with her outfit but her sponsors gave her a firm "no."

Hingis visited the adidas factory last year and said she decided then that she also wants to be part of the design process in the future.

The three-time Australian Open champion has also recently signed a 10-year sponsorship deal with Merrill Lynch.

Ivanisevic feeling confused
After slumping to a second-round 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-3 loss to Francisco Clavet, former Wimbledon finalist Goran Ivanisevic was asked if he thought seeing a sports psychologist might help him get some consistency.

But the Croatian left-hander was adamant that any counseling would only make matters worse.

"Maybe I become more crazy than I am now," said Ivanisevic, refusing to conceal a wry smile. "I'm confused, you know."

"It's too much talking. Everybody talks, talks, talks, you know. You can't play and talk. You have to hit a forehand down the line, backhand, forehand.

"You can't do it by talking, you have to hit it, you know."

When asked what might help his game, the 28-year-old joked, "maybe I should take some drugs." He wasn't serious.

Ivanisevic said he couldn't explain his loss following a stirring first-round win over No. 13 seed Cedric Pioline.

"It was the worst I've ever played in my life," he said. "I felt lost out there. It was like I had never played in front of a crowd before or at night before."

Odds and stats
Only seven of the 16 seeded men's players at the Australian Open have advanced to the third round. This is only the second time -- the other being in 1988 -- in Australian Open history that nine seeded players have been ousted before the end of the second round.

The record for the fewest number of seeded players advancing beyond the second round in a Grand Slam in the Open era was set at Roland Garros in 1998, when only four seeds advanced to the third round of the French Open.

The previous record was five, set at Wimbledon in 1971 and '96, at the U.S. Open in '71 and '88, and at the French in '94.

Younes El Aynaoui, Hichim Arazi and Karim Alami have all advanced to the third round of the 2000 Australian Open, which is the first time three Moroccans have all advanced to the third round of a Grand Slam in the Open era.

IMG signs new young gun
He's only 11 years old, but he's linked with some prestigious company, including Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and golf star Tiger Woods, as a client of one of the world's biggest sports marketers.

Australian tennis talent Todd Ley was signed up by IMG, which paid for the boy and his father, Max, to attend the renowned NickBolletieri tennis camp in Florida last year.

There, the youngster won the singles, doubles and mixed doubles in a tournament organized by the International Tennis Federation.

IMG tennis manager Brian Levine said he heard about Todd's talent and approached Max, who has been acting as his son's manager.

"We've got a bit of thinking to do with him," Max Ley said of his son. "But he's already been to the U.S. and to New Zealand and for a boy of 11 to be doing what he's doing is great."