By Chris Oddo | Friday, January 16, 2015

 

Roger Federer will have to go through a tricky first week in Melbourne before potentially facing Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal back-to-back.

Photo Source: Mark Peterson: Corleve

If Roger Federer is going to win his record 18th Grand Slam title at this year’s Australian Open, he’ll have to navigate a draw sprinkled with minefields to do it.

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Thursday’s draw ceremony revealed that Federer could face Andy Murray in the quarters and Rafael Nadal in the semifinals, but all of that will come after the world No. 2 faces a few tricky challenges in the first week.

Federer will open with Yen Hsun Lu in the first round. Though Lu has never taken a set off of Federer in their two previous encounters, the man from Taiwan has been known to make noise at Slams in the past. Lu owns three top 12 wins at Slams, including a five-set upset of then world No. 11 David Nalbandian at the Australian Open in 2009.

In the third round, Federer could face Frenchman Jeremy Chardy; the man who upset Federer in Rome last year has also taken the Swiss maestro to three sets in all three of their encounters.

If Federer makes the second week, a round of 16 encounter with Tommy Robredo could be waiting. Federer owns an 11-1 career record vs. the Spaniard, but the always dangerous Robredo did defeat Federer in straight sets at the 2013 US Open.

Rafael Nadal’s draw isn’t much easier than his longtime rival’s. The 2009 Australian Open champion and last year’s runner-up faces the tricky Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the first round. The Russian has dropped five straight against Nadal, but he does own four career wins over the Spaniard.

Nadal could face Lukas Rosol in the third round, and if he makes the second week he could end up facing either Richard Gasquet or Kevin Anderson in the round of 16 before a possible quarterfinal bout with Tomas Berdych.

In the top half of the men’s draw, top-seeded Novak Djokovic could face Fernando Verdasco in the third round, with Gael Monfils, Feliciano Lopez, John Isner as possible round of 16 opponents. If the seeds hold Djokovic would face Raonic in the quarterfinals, while Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka would battle in the quarterfinals in the lower section of Djokovic’s half.

Main draw play begins Sunday in Melbourne. Click here for the complete men’s draw.