There will be no gentle start for the favourites at the French Open starting this weekend, with nine-time winner Rafa Nadal and defending champion Novak Djokovic on a semi-final collision course. <br /> <br />Fourth seed Nadal, who has only lost one match on clay this season, was handed a tricky first-round opponent in the mercurial Benoit Paire on Friday (May 26). <br /> <br />Serbian Djokovic, the second seed, will take on Spain's Marcel Granollers, a man who has won three of his four ATP titles on the red dirt. <br /> <br />World number one Andy Murray, who has been struggling this season, will play Russian Andrey Kuznetsov and faces a potential third-round with either claycourt specialist Nicolas Almagro or Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro. <br /> <br />Third seed Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland, the 2015 champion, will face a qualifier and could meet Murray in the semi-finals. <br /> <br />In the women's draw Czech Petra Kvitova, who has not played competitive tennis since being stabbed during a burglary at her home last December, was included as 15th seed thanks to her protected ranking. <br /> <br />Providing she is fit to play, she will take on American Julia Boserup. <br /> <br />Defending champion Garbine Muguruza was handed a tricky first round as she will take on the 2010 champion, Italian Francesca Schiavone. <br /> <br />On her possible path to the final, the fourth-seeded Spaniard could also face American Venus Williams. <br /> <br />World number one Angelique Kerber will open her campaign against Ekaterina Makarova. <br /> <br />Several top names will not feature in this year's tournament as 18-time grand slam champion Roger Federer is skipping the claycourt season, two-time champion Maria Sharapova was denied a wild card after returning from a doping ban, and three-time winner Serena Williams is expecting a child.
