Federer to play Querrey, Nadal faces qualifier

PARIS (AP) -Top-ranked Roger Federer will face American Sam Querrey at the French Open, beginning the lastest bid for the only Grand Slam title missing from his collection.

Second-ranked Rafael Nadal will play a qualifier in the first round as he attempts to win a record-equaling fourth straight title on the red clay of Roland Garros.

"I feel very good physically,'' Nadal said. "I don't have any problems.''

Maria Sharapova is the top women's seed following the retirement of four-time champion Justine Henin. Sharapova, who has won all three other Grand Slam titles, will face fellow Russian Evgeniya Rodina in the first round.

"Every first round is difficult,'' Sharapova said. "Coming in this year, the French Open is the one (Grand Slam title) I haven't won. It's exciting. It's the toughest one. But that's why I'm here. I love the challenges.''

Friday's draw left No. 3 Novak Djokovic in the same half with Nadal, giving Federer a clearer path to the final. Djokovic, winner of the Australian Open, will open against Denis Gremelmayr of Germany.

"I'm coming to the French Open as a Grand Slam champion and as the third (ranked) player in the world,'' Djokovic said. "So I have enough confidence and experience to cope with the pressure of the big matches. I think I've matured a lot ... I believe much more in myself and that I can win against Rafael on clay or Roger on any surface.''

The tournament begins Sunday and ends June 8.

Federer has won 12 Grand Slam titles, but has never triumphed in Paris, losing to Nadal in the past two finals.

Nadal, who has never lost a match at the French, is trying to become the second man to win four consecutive championships. Bjorn Borg did it from 1978-81.

"Nadal is very dominant on this surface,'' Djokovic said. "If I play him, I'll try to be patient and take advantage of the opportunities.''

Second-seeded Ana Ivanovic, who lost to Henin in last year's French final, will open against Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden. Ivanovic is in the same half of the draw with No. 3 Jelena Jankovic, and the two Serbs could meet in the semifinals.

The Williams sisters are both in the bottom half of the draw with the two Serbs.

Fifth-seeded Serena Williams, the only woman in the draw who has won the French Open, will open against Ashley Harkleroad in the first round. No. 8 Venus Williams faces Tzipora Obziler of Israel.

"It's probably the best preparation I've had since 2002,'' Serena Williams said. "I feel like I've played so many clay-court tournaments. I am really feeling like a real clay-court player, which I think is important for me. And I'm really comfortable out there on the clay. I'm definitely 100 percent fit.''

Nadal is projected to face No. 6-seeded David Nalbandian of Argentina, a top clay-court player, in the quarterfinals and Djokovic in the semis.

Federer is 1-0 against the 41st-ranked Querrey, winning in straights sets on hard courts in Miami in 2007.

The 20-year-old Querrey, who stands 6-foot-6, reached the quarterfinals at the Monte Carlo Masters on clay in April.

Federer could face potentially tricky matchups against big serving Croatians Mario Ancic in the third round and Ivo Karlovic in the fourth.

Federer could meet No. 8 Richard Gasquet of France in the quarters and No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko in the semis.

Davydenko got arguably the toughest draw. The Russian will face Thomas Johansson of Sweden in the first round. If he gets past that, he could meet former No. 1 Marat Safin in the second round, Ivan Ljubicic in the third round and Juan Carlos Ferrero in the fourth.

Sebastien Grosjean (shoulder) and Daniela Hantuchova (foot) withdrew because of injuries.

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Collins: French Open is Nadal’s to lose

getCSS("3315906")Bud CollinsWhich would be a bigger shock in Paris: The Eiffel Tower collapsing or Rafael Nadal losing a tennis match at Roland Garros?

When Nadal departed the Italian Open early a couple of weeks ago – a straight-set loser to Juan Carlos Ferrero in his first match in Rome – his wounded right foot looked like a disaster area. Blisters, cracks, holes – an awful site for spectators as courtside treatment administered to Nadal was displayed on the Italian Open Jumbotron. It should have been X-rated video. But Nadal didn’t quit or sulk as any reasonable guy would have.

Instead he accepted the loss and began hungering for Hamburg. Not the Big Mac kind but a title he wanted badly – the German Open. It was a title he got, continuing to frustrate Roger Federer in a dirt arena, defeating the Swiss in the final 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3. That’s eight out of nine for Nadal over Federer when the playground has been clay (the one win by Federer coming in Hamburg last year).

And now it’s Paris, the capital of clay – heaven for Nadal, hell for Federer – as they look forward to colliding again in a third straight French Open final.

Nobody quite as imposing as Nadal has ever strode into Paris. Never beaten on the crimson soil, he is pursuing Bjorn Borg’s record run of four straight French Open titles (1978-81), and will celebrate his 22nd birthday June 3. Borg, also a June baby, was as quick and competitive as Nadal, but he was flailing away with a wooden weapon. He couldn’t produce the overpowering blizzards of spin that flow from Nadal’s high-tech racquets. This torrent, unleashed by a lefthander, is even more malevolent.

Of course, somebody will beat Nadal on clay someday (he has with 108 wins in his last 110 claycourt matches), but this doesn’t look like the year for it in France. Will Federer even get to the final? He’s lost seven matches this year and won only one title (Estoril), looking shaky as he was beaten by such players as Mardy Fish (current ranking of 39), and at Rome, Radek Stepanek (current ranking of 22).

There are dangerous potential opponents lurking for Federer – among them Nikolay Davydenko, David Nalbandian, David Ferrer, Igor Andreev, Mario Ancic, and Ferrero. And certainly the bumptious kid, Novak Djokovic, who lifted Federer’s Australian Open title.

getCSS("3053751")Slide show


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US loses to Sweden in tennis World Team Cup

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) -The United States lost 2-0 Thursday to Sweden, which advanced to the World Team Cup final in the Red Group.

James Blake lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 to undefeated Robin Soderling and Thomas Johansson stopped Bobby Reynolds 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

Also in the Red Group, Argentina and the Czech Republic are tied 1-1. In the Blue Group, Russia leads Germany 1-0 and Spain leads Italy 1-0.

The winner of the Blue Group will face Sweden in Saturday's final.

Blake, ranked No. 8, tried to remain upbeat heading into the French Open, which starts Sunday.

"Hopefully this match will not affect me,'' Blake said of his second loss in three matches. "I'll put these last couple of sets out of my mind and get ready for Paris. Maybe it's easier to go there that way, than going down with a real tight one and thinking I can't close out matches.''

Tomas Berdych defeated Guillermo Canas 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to give the Czechs an early lead before Juan Ignacio Chela stopped Michal Tabara 6-0, 6-4.

Spain got its point from David Ferrer, who defeated Potito Starace of Italy 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Igor Andreev put Russia ahead of Germany by defeating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 6-3.

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Tsonga reaches Casablanca quarterfinals

CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) -Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Lamine Ouahab of Algeria 6-3, 6-2 Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Grand Prix Hassan II tournament.

The top-seeded Frenchman hit seven aces and broke his opponent's serve three times. It will be Tsonga's first quarterfinal since the Australian Open, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the final.

He will take on Santiago Ventura of Spain, who outlasted Rainer Schuettler of Germany 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.

Second-seeded Gael Monfils of France was upset 6-3, 6-2 by Oscar Hernandez of Spain, while No. 5 Julien Benneteau of France reached the last eight with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Pablo Cuevas.

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Peng reaches quarterfinals in Strasbourg

STRASBOURG, France (AP) -Peng Shuai of China reach the quarterfinals of the Strasbourg International on Wednesday after top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France retired while trailing 6-1, 1-0 with a right wrist injury.

Bartoli won only 22 percent of the points on her second serve. Peng broke her three times, including the opening game of the second set.

Second-seeded Alona Bondarenko also won, beating Edina Gallovits of Romania 6-4, 6-4. Bondarenko, who broke her opponent's serve five times, next plays Timea Bacsinszky, who beat Yan Zi of China 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

Fourth-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy and Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia also advanced to the last eight. Pennetta defeated Stephanie Cohen-Aloro of France 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, while Srebotnik advanced by beating Tatiana Perebiynis of Ukraine 7-6 (4), 6-0.

Also, defending champion Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain beat Ana Vrljic 6-1, 6-1, Ai Sugiyama of Japan saved all five break points before beating Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-3, and 18-year-old Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan rallied to beat Casey Dellacqua of Australia 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.

The clay-court tournament is billed as a warmup to the French Open, which starts Sunday.

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Daveport out of French for 'personal reasons'

PARIS (AP) -Former No. 1 Lindsay Davenport has withdrawn from of the French Open, the only Grand Slam singles event that she has never won.

Tournament organizers said Tuesday that the 31-year-old American withdrew for "personal reasons,'' without elaborating.

The French Open also said two other Americans had also pulled out: Meghann Shaughnessy will miss due to an injury to her left knee, while Meilen Tu is nursing a left hip injury.

Davenport's best singles finish on the Paris clay came when she reached the semifinals in 1998 - the same year she won the U.S. Open singles title. She won Wimbledon the next year and the 2000 Australian Open.

Davenport won the French Open doubles title with Mary Joe Fernandez in 1996.

The French Open starts Sunday.

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Top-seeded Davydenko wins opener at Hypo

POERTSCHACH, Austria (AP) -Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko eased past Rainer Eitzinger of Austria 6-1, 6-1 Monday in the first round of the Hypo Group International.

The fourth-ranked Russian, who won the event in 2005 and '06, broke Eitzinger's serve five times.

"The first two rounds of a tournament are always hard, so I am glad I came through this one so easily,'' Davydenko said. "I tried to minimize my errors and play as consistently as possible. For me, this event is an important warmup for the French Open.''

Sixth-seeded Andreas Seppi of Italy rallied to beat Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. Seppi, a semifinalist in Hamburg last week, struggled with his serve and was broken twice in the opening set.

Also, Jiri Vanek of the Czech Republic beat Dutch wild card Martin Verkerk 7-5, 4-6, 6-2. It was Verkerk's first singles match on the ATP Tour since the 2007 French Open due to various injuries.

Vanek will next play either defending champion Juan Monaco or Carlos Berlocq.

Jurgen Melzer of Austria used six of 16 break points to beat 18-year-old American Donald Young 7-5, 6-2, Ivan Navarro of Spain beat Vincent Spadea of the United States 6-4, 6-4, and Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain defeated Werner Eschauer of Austria 6-4, 6-2.

Two other first-round matches were suspended due to rain and will be finished Tuesday. Oliver Marach of Austria led Sam Querrey of the United States 6-3, 3-5, and Dudi Sela of Israel led Mischa Zverev 6-5.

The match between seventh-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia and Robby Ginepri of the United States had not yet started and was also rescheduled for Tuesday.

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