PARIS, May 26 (Xinhua) -- World number one Roger Federer was handed a relatively easy draw at the French Open on Friday.

    The Swiss star, bidding to become the first man in 37 years to hold all four Grand Slam titles in a year, will take on Frenchman Arnaud Clement in the first round with 13th seed Nicolas Kiefer of Germany as his likely opponent for a quarter-final spot.

    Tommy Robredo, the seventh seeded Spaniard, could be waiting in the quarter-finals. However, the Spaniard has lost all his six career clashes with Federer.

    Defending champion and second seed Rafael Nadal will face Swede Robin Soderling in the first round where victory would hand him a record 54th successive victory on clay.

    The Spanish teenager, who has proved to be Federer's nemesis with five wins in their six career meetings, could face Australia's 14th seed Lleyton Hewitt in the fourth round.

    Big-hitting Chilean Fernando Gonzalez, the ninth seed, is also in Nadal's section of the draw.

    Gonzalez takes on Russia's former world number one Marat Safin in the first round.

    Nadal's section also features compatriot Nicolas Almagro, who won the Valencia clay court tournament this year, as well as German veterans Tommy Haas and Rainer Schuettler.

    In the women's draw, world number one Amelie Mauresmo begins her campaign against America's Meghann Shaughnessy with Wimbledon champion Venus Williams a possible last eight opponent.

    Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne, the defending women's champion seeded fifth this year, will take on Estonian Maret Ani in the first round.

    Second seed Kim Clijsters of Belgium faces France's Virginie Razzano in her first round match and could take on Martina Hingis in the fourth round.

    Swiss Hingis, the 12th seed, the runner-up in 1997 and 1999, is playing her first Roland Garros for five years. She faces America' s Lisa Raymond in the first round.

    Third seeded Russian Nadia Petrova faces Japan's Akiko Morigami while fourth seed Maria Sharapova starts against the United States' Mashona Washington.

    The action at Roland Garros gets underway on Sunday. Enditem