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The Serb, who holds 11 grand slam titles but is still chasing
his first win at Roland Garros, will start his campaign against
Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun. Nadal has been paired with big-serving
Australian Sam Groth.
The Spaniard, promoted to fourth seed after Roger Federer pulled
out citing fitness concerns, could meet France's Jo-Wilfried
Tsonga in the quarter-finals.
In the other half of the draw, second-seeded Briton Andy Murray
is on course to meet Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori in the
last eight and defending champion and third seed Stan Wawrinka
in the semi-finals.
French hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time since
Yannick Noah won in 1983 took a hit when former semi-finalist
Gael Monfils - a perennial crowd favorite in Paris - pulled out
because of a virus.
In the women's draw, top seed, defending champion and strong
favorite Serena Williams takes on Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova
in the first round.
She faces a potential quarter-final against former world number
one Victoria Azarenka and last-four clash with German third seed
Angelique Kerber, who beat her in this year's Australian Open
final.
The French Open starts on Sunday and ends on June 5 with the
men's final.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; editing by John Stonestreet)
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