Federer could see Soderling, Djokovic in path to final

Roger Federer’s path to a seventh consecutive US Open final could be barred by Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic while top seed Rafael Nadal’s career Grand Slam bid might be blocked by Andy Murray.

Yesterday’s draw announcement for the US Open set the stage for the Flushing Meadows fortnight that begins on Monday.

Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro is unable to defend his crown due to injury, opening the door for some familiar faces to seize the Broadway stage.

Second seed Federer, who won this year’s Australian Open title for his record 16th Slam crown, also won the last major US Open tune-up event in Cincinnati and is hoping to regain the throne he lost to Del Potro last year.

Federer lost to Sweden’s Soderling in the French Open quarter-finals and the two would meet again in the US Open quarters if form holds with Serbian third seed Djokovic a possible semi-final foe.

Federer opens against Argentina’s Brian Dabul with a German, Michael Berrer or Andreas Beck, awaiting the winner in round two.

Nadal, the reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion, would become just the seventh man to win at least once in all four Grand Slam events if he can finally capture the title at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

He opens against Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili with either Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez or Uzbek Denis Istomin awaiting in the second round.

Eight-time Slam champion Nadal, a US Open semi-final loser the past two years, could face eighth-seeded compatriot Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-finals.

British fourth seed Murray, seeking his first Grand Slam title, is on pace to face Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals and Nadal in a semi-final if form holds.

Murray opens against Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko with either Jamaican Dustin Brown or Spain’s Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo awaiting the winner.

Djokovic, who opens against compatriot Viktor Troicki, could face Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko in the quarter-finals.