Defending champion Rafael Nadal was handed a relatively easy draw at the French Open. Spain’s Nadal, seeded second, will face Swede Robin Soderling in the first round with a likely fourth round clash against 14th seed Lleyton Hewitt.At the top of the draw Roger Federer takes on Frenchman Arnaud Clement in the first round. However, the second quarter of the draw is tough, featuring former champions Gaston Gaudio, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya plus Nikolay Davydenko, all of whom could test Federer as the Swiss attempts to win the one Grand Slam crown to elude him.In the women’s draw, world number one Amelie Mauresmo who starts against American Meghann Shaughnessy should not be troubled until the quarter-finals when she faces a possible match-up against 11th seed Venus Williams.The 2006 edition of Roland Garros will be deprived of last year’s finalist Mary Pierce who has pulled out through injury. Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne, the defending women’s champion, takes on Estonian Maret Ani in the first round.
