CANBERRA, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Croat Ivan Ljubicic has signed in for this week's Kooyong Classic after defending champion Roger Federer chose to skip his traditional warm-up event prior to the Australian Open.

    The 30-year-old Ljubicic took the final spot at the eight-man field of the Melbourne invitational event, boasting world number three Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Argentina's U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro.

    "I'm full of hopes, full of expectations, feeling good and I'm really looking forward to the new season," said Ljubicic, who captured nine titles in career.

    Swede Robin Soderling, Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, Chile's Fernando Gonzalez and experienced German Tommy Haas will also lineup in the event.