ROLAND GARROS: News & Photos (ATP TENNIS)

Nadal gets Murray, Djokovic gets Federer

Friday, May 25, 2012

By Drew Lilley

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The draw for the 2012 French Open took place at 11.30 am on Friday and all eyes were on how the big four in the men's singles would be shared out.

Reigning women's champion Na Li drew the seeds, with world No.1 and top seed Novak Djokovic ending up with Roger Federer along with him in the top half of the draw, whilst reigning champion and No.2 seed Rafael Nadal has Andy Murray for company in the bottom half.
Djokovic is looking to win his first Roland Garros title and his fourth consecutive major after Wimbledon 2011, the US Open 2011 and the Australian Open 2012, thus giving him a consecutive Grand Slam over two calendar years. Nadal meanwhile is level with Björn Borg on six French Open titles and is hoping to claim that record outright with another win this year.
Djokovic is set to face  Italy's Potito Starace in the first round, with potential opponents later on including Lleyton Hewitt, Jürgen Melzer, No.14 seed Fernando Verdasco and No.5 seed (and French No.1) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Federer meanwhile, who put an end to Djokovic's 2011 unbeaten streak here at Roland Garros last year, will get his campaign under way against Germany's Tobias Kamke and could face a tricky tie against David Nalbandian in the second round. Andy Roddick and Feliciano Lopez are also in the 2009 champion's quarter, with Thomas Berdych or Juan Martin del Potro – two players who had caused him trouble in the past – potentially lying in wait as the tournament progresses.
Nadal starts off against Simone Bolelli, with clay-court bandit Juan Monaco (enjoying his best season to date and up to No.13 in the world) or rising Canadian star Milos Raonic a potential fourth-round opponent. Before and after that potentially awkward tie, the Majorcan's passage seems to be relatively clear (on paper that is). The same cannot be said for Andy Murray however, who is in the "quarter of death". Fortunately for the Scot, who lost an exhibition match to Ernests Gulbis in straight sets on Thursday and who has struggled throughout the European clay swing, he will have a few rounds to get into his stride and is also in the kinder section of this particular quarter. From the third round onwards however, he is set to take on Bernard Tomic, Richard Gasquet and then the winner of David Ferrer and John Isner just to set up a semi-final date with Nadal...
American wild card Brian Blake, who has defeated Gaël Monfils and Nikolay Davydenko in Nice this week after spending the best part of five seasons off-court struggling with multiple hip operations before launching a fairy-tale comeback, faces Xavier Malisse in the first round before a potentially mouth-watering match-up against Gilles Simon who has been the best of the French on the clay so far this year.
Potential quarter-final match-ups:
Novak Djokovic – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Roger Federer – Thomas Berdych
David Ferrer – Andy Murray
Rafael Nadal – Janko Tipsarevic