Federer faces tough path

In their last meeting, Andreev took Federer to five sets at the 2008 US Open and should the Swiss continue his march to the fourth round, local hope Lleyton Hewitt or 11th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon could block his path to the quarter-finals.

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, who the world number one defeated for the 2006 title, also looms as a possible fourth-round opponent, ahead of a potential quarter-final against in-form Russian world number six Nikolay Davydenko.

Second seed Rafa Nadal has a much smoother route to the last eight as he sets out to defend the title he claimed in a five-set thriller against Federer a year ago.

The Mallorcan world number two was paired with low-ranked Australian Peter Luczak when the draw was made on Friday but may face a third-round hurdle against big-serving American John Isner, who knocked Andy Roddick out of the US Open last year.

"I was just boarding the plane actually and one of my mates called up and he said I (had) Nadal," the 78th-ranked Luczak said. "Yeah, it was a bit of a depressing flight that one."

Third seed and 2008 champion Novak Djokovic will open against 73rd-ranked Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver, while US Open champion and fourth seed Del Potro of Argentina faces 79th-ranked American Michael Russell.

Fifth seed Andy Murray may have to beat all of last year's Grand Slam winners in consecutive matches if he is to end Britain's 74-year wait for a men's Grand Slam champion.

Murray has a straightforward run to the quarter-finals, but then runs into defending champion Nadal.

Should he make it through that match, he will probably then face del Potro in the semi-finals - and if not Del Potro it will likely be Andy Roddick, who knocked Murray out of Wimbledon last year - with Roger Federer potentially waiting in the final.

In the women's draw, four-times champion and top seed Serena Williams opens against Poland's 71st-ranked Urszula Radwanska to start what appears to be a relatively trouble-free run to the quarter-finals.

However, Russian fifth seed Elena Dementieva will need to be on her best form early on if she hopes to match or improve on her semi-final run last year after being dealt a possible second-round encounter with former number one Justine Henin.

The Belgian reached the Brisbane International final earlier this month in her first tournament back from retirement and should have too many weapons for compatriot and first-round opponent Kirsten Flipkens.

Should she continue through the tournament, Henin could set up a mouthwatering quarter-final against either French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova or fellow Beligian Kim Clijsters, who won the US Open on her own comeback last year. Clijsters, who needed three sets to edge Henin in Brisbane, has drawn a qualifier in the first round.

"I didn't think that someone could come back that fast but Kim proved otherwise," seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe said, paying tribute to the former world number one, who gave birth to daughter during her two-year break.

"Justine's one of the great players that played. Certainly to me the three favourites are those two (Belgians) and Serena (Williams)."

Tournament director Craig Tiley said ticket bookings were tracking up from last year and that their expectations were to have "record-breaking crowds every day right throughout the fortnight."

The final draw will be released after qualifying wraps up this weekend and could throw up a twist in the women's draw.

Belgian world number 16 Yanina Wickmayer, who was unable to enter the tournament due to a doping ban, is making her way through qualifying. The ban was overturned but too late for her to get direct entry or a wildcard.

The Australian Open starts on Monday.