Draw throws up exciting Murray-Federer clash

Dubai: Defending champion Roger Federer has been drawn against Andy Murray of Great Britain in the opening round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Federer is out to defend the title he won last year in straight sets against Russian Mikhael Youzhny after being dethroned the previous year by Rafael Nadal.

Nadal will be the second seed yet again holding up the lower half of the draw provided he can get past Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in the first round.

Third seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia, winner of the season-opening Australian Open, will meet Marin Cilic of Croatia in the first round and a potential mouth-watering semifinal against second seed Nadal.

Fourth seed David Ferrer of Spain has been drawn in the upper half and may have a potential clash against Federer. His first round opponent will be Tommy Haas of Germany.

"We have eight of the top 10 players in the world playing in this tournament, of which one of them is the world's best player, Roger Federer," said Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, the organiser of the event.

During the course of this event, now in its 16th year, the tournament has won 13 different international awards, including the last four of being voted by the players as the 'Best Tournament of the Year'.

"To have such a field is like a dream come true and we welcome you all here," McLoughlin added.

New faces

Murray and American Andy Roddick will be playing in Dubai for the very first time. "These are two new faces and we welcome them to Dubai," McLoughlin said.

Tournament Director Salah Tahlak announced the three wild cards for the men's competition. For the first time, the UAE's Mahmoud Nader will be playing in the main draw after the country's main player Omar Behroozian was forced out with a knee injury. Nader has been drawn to play one of the four qualifiers.

Kuwait's Mohammad Al Gareeb is the second wild card and will have to play fifth seed Nicolai Davydenko of Russia in his opening match. The third wild card has been accepted by German Rainer Schuettler.