Holder Federer gets tough mission

Four-time winner Rafael Nadal claimed the first victory of the 2010 French Open yesterday without hitting a ball after seeing defending champion Roger Federer handed a potentially tougher draw.

Federer, whose Roland Garros win in 2009 allowed him to complete a career Grand Slam, opens against Australian Davis Cup player Peter Luczak and could face Swiss compatriot Stanilas Wawrinka in the fourth round.

However Robin Soderling, who sent Nadal crashing to his first French Open defeat in 2009, could be a quarter-final opponent as could Latvia's in-form Ernests Gulbis, the man who surprisinly beat Federer at the Rome Masters in April.

Should Federer make the semi-final, fourth-seeded Andy Murray, who has a 6-5 career advantage over the Swiss may be waiting.

Second seed Nadal will face French wildcard Gianni Mina, the world 653, in his first round.

Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt, who has lost three times in four years to Nadal in Paris, is a possible third round opponent.

Nadal's Spanish compatriot Fernando Verdasco, who has a 0-10 against the world no.2, is a potential quarter-final opponent. World no.4 Novak Djokovic is seeded to meet Nadal in the semi-finals.

In the women's draw, top seed Serena Williams was handed a testing path with four-time champion Justine Henin a possible quarter-final opponent.

Also in Williams's top half of the draw is another former world no.1, Maria Sharapova, another possible last eight opponent.

Williams starts her French Open campaign against Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele while Henin faces Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova in her opener.