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Federer, Nadal earn top seeds at French Open

Fri 23rd, May 2008

Paris, France (Sports Network) - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the combatants in the past two French Open finals, have been installed as the top two seeds for the year's second Grand Slam, which gets under way Sunday on the famed red clay of Roland Garros.

Federer, based on his world No. 1 ranking, is the top seed, while Nadal, despite winning the last three French Open crowns and his sheer dominance on clay, is the second seed.

Not only has Nadal won each of the last three titles in his only three appearances at Roland Garros, but the Spaniard has won an astounding 108 of his last 110 matches on the slow surface. Federer, meanwhile, is more than capable of winning on clay, but the Swiss superstar has never won the French Open -- the only Grand Slam crown that has eluded him.

Federer will open with American Sam Querrey, while Nadal will take on a qualifier in the first round. The two stars are, of course, on opposite ends of the draw and can only meet in the final.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic, who won the year's first Grand Slam at the Australian Open, is the third seed and will face Germany's Denis Gremelmayr. Djokovic is in Nadal's half of the draw.

Russia's Nikolay Davydenko is seeded fourth and drew a tough first-round match against former Grand Slam champion Thomas Johansson of Sweden. Davydenko is part of Federer's half of the draw.

Spain's David Ferrer is seeded fifth, followed by David Nalbandian of Argentina, American James Blake and Richard Gasquet of France.

Federer's draw includes a possible second-round matchup with Spaniard Albert Montanes, while a potential fourth-round opponent could be Croatia's Ivo Karlovic or Argentina's Juan Monaco. Gasquet and Federer could meet in the quarterfinals.

Nadal could face another qualifier or American Chris Guccione in the second round, while potential third-round foes are Finland's Jarkko Nieminen or Germany's Nicolas Kiefer, while Mikhail Youzhny of Russia or fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco could await in round four. Nalbandian is a possible quarterfinal matchup.

Three-time champion Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, playing as a wild card in his final tournament, drew 18th-seeded Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu in the first round. Should Kuerten advance to the third round, he could face another former champ in Carlos Moya of Spain.

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