Nadal will be aiming to equal Bjorn Borg's record of four consecutive French Open titles

The second seed, who is undefeated at Roland-Garros since making his debut in 2005, is in the same half of the draw as Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Argentine sixth seed David Nalbandian.
 
Following a first round match against a qualifier, Nadal could meet Finn Jarkko Nieminen and Russian Mikhail Youzhny before a possible quarter-final against Nalbandian and a rematch of last year's semi-final with Djokovic.

World number one Roger Federer, who will be attempting to win the only grand slam title that has eluded him, faces a tricky first round test against American Sam Querrey who reached the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters last month.

A possible fourth-round encounter with Argentine Juan Monaco, the world number 14, awaits, along with a quarter-final match-up with compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, seeded ninth.

Wawrinka burst on to the scene this season by reaching the Barcelona Open semi-finals and the Rome Masters final, where he lost in three sets to Djokovic.

A semi-final battle with Spaniard David Ferrer then looms for Federer.

Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten, who won the tournament in 1997, 2000 and 2001, is set to retire once his last French Open campaign is over. He faces Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu in the first round.

Women's draw wide open

Ana Ivanovic will need to play her best if she is to win her first grand slam title

In the women's draw Serbia's Ana Ivanovic, last year's runner-up, faces a daunting task if she is to claim her first grand slam title.

The women's competition was blown wide open when four-time champion Justine Henin retired suddenly last week, and Ivanovic could meet aggressive Czech Lucie Safarova, who reached the last 16 in 2007, as early as the second round.

The Australian Open finalist could then play another Czech, Nicole Vaidisova, in the fourth round, 2002 champion Serena Williams in the quarter-finals and compatriot Jelena Jankovic in the semis.

Maria Sharapova, top seed and world number one since Henin retired, looks set to progress smoothly before some possible Russian roulette from the fourth round onwards where she could meet compatriot Dinara Safina.

Then if Sharapova survives a theoretical quarter-final with 2004 finalist Elena Dementieva, she could face fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semis.

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