The British pair are back in action at the Qatar Open just six weeks after taking part in the ATP World Championships in Hanover.

It begins a crucial year for Henman and Rusedski, who are both aiming to capture a first Grand Slam title after ending 1998 in the world's top ten.

The $975,000 event in Doha, starting on Monday, launches the new season and they are seeded to meet in the final.

Top seed Henman faces a tricky opening match against world number 66 Sjeng Schalken of The Netherlands, a player who has won three tournaments during his career.

Rusedski: Will it be an all British final?

Rusedski starts his challenge against Germany's Bernd Karbacher.

Czech Petr Korda will be defending his title in Doha, his first appearance since it was revealled that he failed a drugs test at last year's Wimbledon championships.

He escaped a ban after the International Tennis Federation accepted his claim that he had no idea how the banned steroid nandrolone came to be present in his body.

The tournament is the first step in the build-up to the Australian Open, starting on January 18, but Sampras' decision to give Melbourne a miss has again raised question-marks about whether players are given enough of a break.

He is said to be physically and mentally tired and women's number one Lindsay Davenport, who is in Australia, has offered sympathy.

"The first minute I heard it, I was really shocked and couldn't believe it. But the more you think about it, the more you can understand it.

"He has played on tour probably eight or 10 years now, has been number one for six years and put in such an effort for the last six months of last year," she said.

But Weller Evans, an exceutive vice-president of the ATP Tour, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek that speaking as a fan, he did not think there was too much tennis.

Weller Evans: "Tennis abhors a vacuum" (BBC Radio 5 Live)

"While six weeks might not be enough for some, like Pete Sampras, it's certainly a marked improvement over what we had prior to 1990 with the ATP Tour when you would find The Masters, being held at Madison Square Garden, finishing the second week in December," he added.

"Not to have the world number one at the first Grand Slam event of the year is a disappointment, not only for us the tennis fans, but I'm sure for Pete himself."