Nadal to begin US Open bid against qualifier Phau

Top seed Rafael Nadal will begin his bid for a first US Open title against qualifier Bjorn Phau after the German won through the qualifying tournament on Friday.

Nadal, this year's French Open and Wimbledon champion, is looking to end Roger Federer's run of four straight US Open titles.

Federer, seeded second after the Spaniard ended his 237-week run at the top of the rankings last Monday, plays world no. 114 Maximo Gonzalez, of Argentina, in the first round.

The Swiss could play third seed Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, a repeat of last year's final, while Nikolay Davydenko would be his seeded opponent in the last eight.

Should results follow the seedings, the pair would meet in the final for the third grand slam event in a row.

In the women's event, top seed Ana Ivanovic, looking to add a first US Open crown to her French Open title, begins against Russian Vera Dushevina.

Should the seedings go to plan, she would face French Open runner-up and Olympic silver medallist Dinara Safina in the quarter-finals.

In the semi-finals, she would play the winner of the blockbuster clash between sisters Venus and Serena Williams, a repeat of their Wimbledon final this year, won by Venus.