Murray Faces Tough Draw at Artois Championships

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Britain’s Andy Murray may have to overcome defending champion Andy Roddick, World No. 2 Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Novak Djokovic if he is to claim his first grass court title at The Queen’s Club after the draw for the 2008 Artois Championships was made on Saturday.

Murray, the No. 6 seed who missed last year’s tournament because of a wrist injury, finds himself in the same half of the draw as top seed Nadal and four-time champion Roddick.

With the top 8 seeds all receiving first round byes, Murray is likely to face two-time runner-up Sebastien Grosjean in his opening match with a possible third round encounter with French Open quarterfinalist Ernests Gulbis. Should he survive that section unscathed, No. 3 seed Roddick is likely to be waiting in what would be a mouthwatering quarterfinal clash.

Roddick, who has won the Artois Championships in four of the past five years, will be hoping to have recovered from the shoulder injury that kept him out of the French Open in Paris.

The former World No. 1 will open his campaign to become the first player to win five titles at The Queen’s Club against either fellow Americans Robby Ginepri or Vince Spadea, with a possible third round encounter with another good friend, Mardy Fish.

Nadal, the top seed who is just one win away from claiming his fourth consecutive title at Roland Garros on Sunday, takes on either Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman or rising Russian Igor Kunitsyn in his opening match with big serving American Sam Querrey a possible third round opponent.

Fernando Gonzalez, Marat Safin and Ivo Karlovic are also in the Spaniard’s quarter of the draw.

In the bottom half, second seed Novak Djokovic will open up against either Italy’s Flavio Cipolla or Roko Karanusic of Croatia with a possible clash with fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic in the third round.

Meanwhile, four-time Artois champion Lleyton Hewitt, seeded No. 9 this year, takes on British wild card Josh Goodall in the first round with the winner facing either Dan Evans or former Wimbledon semifinalist Xavier Malisse in the second.

Full Singles Draw