Nadal in tough draw in Paris

Tennis' new wonderkid, Rafael Nadal [ Images ], also tipped as one of the favourites at Roland Garros [ Images ], finds himself in a tough draw at the French Open [ Images ]. According to the line-up announced on Friday, the fourth seed may clash with another rising claycourt star Richard Gasquet in as early as the third round.

The match will be a face-off between two immensely talented 18-year-olds.

Should he overcome Gasquet, and then potentially Gaston Gaudio (5) in the quarters, Nadal will cross swords with Roger Federer [ Images ] in the semis.

World number one Roger Federer though finds himself in a realatively easy draw, at leats till the quarterfinals.

Federer's first-round opponent will be a qualifier or lucky-loser. Initially Federer had been drawn against Robin Soderling [ Images ], but the Swede was seeded 33 after compatriot Joachim Johansson withdrew.

Spain's Nicolas Almagro should put up more resistance in the second round and Fernando Gonzalez [ Images ] (25), David Nalbandian [ Images ] (10) and Carlos Moya [ Images ] (14) are other potential obstacles on Federer's path to the semis.

DREAM DRAW FOR CORIA

World number-two Andy Roddick [ Images ] has every chance of going further than ever before at Roland Garros. His first adversary, local boy Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, will enjoy his day in the sun, but Argentina's Jose Acasuso should be a more dangerous proposition in the second round. Andre Agassi [ Images ] (6) has a similar outlook, with Igor Andreev likely to provide stiff opposition in the second round.

Guillermo Coria (8) could hardly have dreamed up a better draw. With no clay court specialist in sight until the quarter-finals, the feisty Argentinian should enter the second week with plenty of gas left in the tank.

In theory at least, Marat Safin [ Images ] (3) will stand in Coria's way for a place in the last four. Quite whether the Australian Open [ Images ] champion will get that far is very much open to question. The Russian has been struggling for form on clay and faces former French Open champ Juan Carlos Ferrero [ Images ] (32) as early as the third round.

The 32-seed system generally spares the leading players too stern an examination in the first round, but Carlos Moya (14) - Alberto Martin [ Images ], Tim Henman [ Images ] (7) - Potito Starace, and Guillermo Cañas (9) - Gaël Monfils all stand out as potential banana skin openers for the seeds. Three-time French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten will have no room for complacency either, against Spain's David Sanchez.