French Open: Defending champ Djokovic to face Granollers, Nadal meets Paire

Serbian Djokovic and Nadal could to face each other in the semi-final if things bode well for both players

In the women’s draw, defending champion Garbine Muguruza will play 2010 French Open winner Francesca Schiavone

World No 2 and second seed Novak Djokovic will open his French Open defence against 76-ranked Spain’s Marcel Granollers at Roland Garros in Paris on Sunday.

World No 1 Andy Murray, who has had a poor clay court season by his standards, will face Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov in the first round, while third seed Swissman Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 champion, will face a qualifier and could meet Murray in the semi-finals.

Nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal has been drawn against tricky Frenchman Benoit Paire in Round 1 -- the Spaniard has a 2-0 head-to-head record against the 45-ranked player.

Serbian Djokovic and Nadal could to face each other in the semi-final if things bode well for both players.

In the women’s draw, defending champion Garbine Muguruza will play 2010 French Open winner Francesca Schiavone.

In other first round matches, World No 1 Angelique Kerber will go up against Ekaterina Makarova and in-form Simona Halep will meet young Slovakian Jana Cepelova.

Meanwhile, Czech player Petra Kvitova was included in the draw after recovering from being stabbed during a burglary at her home last December. 

The 27-year-old will be seeded 15th thanks to her protected ranking and will start off with a first-round against US player Julia Boserup.

Kvitova, who said this week she was set to play at Wimbledon where she has twice won the title, has not played competitively since the attack, which left her with serious injuries to her left playing hand.

The French Open begins in Paris on Sunday.