By Chris Oddo | Saturday, June 13, 2015

 

Roger Federer faces a trickier than normal draw at this year's Gerry Weber Open in Halle.

Photo: AP

Seven-time Gerry Weber Open champion Roger Federer will face a familiar, talented foe in the first round in Halle this year: Philipp Kohlschreiber.

See the Complete Gerry Weber Open Draw Here

The 2011 Halle champion is a six-time semifinalist and owns a 27-9 lifetime record at Halle, but the 31-year-old has dropped all three of his meetings with Federer in the German city in straights sets. Kohlschreiber has won just one of 17 sets against Federer in their eight lifetime meetings.

Federer owns a 46-5 lifetime record at Halle, with three of the five losses coming before 2003. His last loss at the event was to Tommy Haas in the 2013 final.

Second-seeded Kei Nishikori, who fell in the semifinals last year to Federer, will open against Dominic Thiem of Austria.

Nishikori could face either Dustin Brown of Germany or Andreas Haider-Maurer of Austria in the second round.

Federer could face either Ernests Gublis or Sergiy Stahkovsky in the second round.

If the seeds hold, Federer would face 7th-seeded Bernard Tomic in the quarterfinals and third-seeded Tomas Berdych in the semifinals.