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Nadal, Djokovic drawn in same quarter in French Open

Xinhua, May 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal could meet world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in an epic quarterfinal encounter in this year's French Open after being drawn into the same quarter here on Friday.

The 28-year-old Spaniard will kick off his defending campaign as the sixth seed after he has slipped to the seventh in the ATP world rankings but been promoted since Milos Raonic's withdrawal due to injury.

"It's very strange," admitted Nadal. "It's never happened before. But I have to play four matches to get to the quarter-finals. I have to be ready for the first round."

As the overwhelming favorite here, the top-seeded Djokovic is eyeing on a maiden title after having lost to Nadal in the 2012 and 2014 finals.

The Serb, who turned 28 on Friday, has had it all but the French Open to complete his career Grand Slam trophy collection.

He goes to Roland Garros riding a 22-match unbeaten streak and has already captured a fifth Australian Open and Masters crowns in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Rome this year.

Djokovic starts his campaign in Paris against Finn Jarkko Nieminen while Nadal begins against French wildcard Quentin Halys.

The third seed Andy Murray is a potential semifinal opponent for Djokovic and Nadal. The Scot, who won the Madrid Masters recently on clay, starts against a qualifier and is drawn in the same quarter with David Ferrer.

World No. 2 Roger Federer, the 2009 champion, also starts against a qualifier and could face his fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka, while Tomas Berdych could compete against Japan's Kei Nishikori if both made quarters.

In the women's singles, top-seeded Serena Williams was handed a tough draw, facing possible meetings against two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka as well as her elder sister Venus Williams before going to the quarters against former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki.

Second-seeded defending champion Maria Sharapova could be up against Spanish Carla Sanchez Navarro in the quarters, while third seed Simona Halep could meet Eugenie Bouchard. Enditem