Wimbledon draw puts Murray on collision course with Nadal

(GETTY IMAGES)

British number one Andy Murray has been placed on a Wimbledon semi-final collision course with Rafael Nadal.

Murray, who reached the semi-finals last year, will open his Championships against Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic in the first meeting between the pair.

Hajek, 26, has made just one appearance at Wimbledon, losing in the first round 2007.

Awaiting Murray in the semi-finals should be world number one and second seed Nadal, who will launch his Championships against Kei Nishikori of Japan.

But the Scot faces a potentially hazardous route to the last four with American Sam Querrey, an accomplished performer on grass who won at Queen's last week, a possible fourth-round opponent.

Rivalling Querrey for a place in the fourth round is 17th seed Juan Carlos Ferrero.

The quarter-finals could match Murray with ninth seed Fernando Verdasco, though the Spaniard must overcome a likely contest against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the previous round.

Should he progress, Murray's route to the fourth round should include matches against Jarkko Nieminen of Finland and 26th seed Simon Gilles.

Jamie Baker - the only other British interest in the men's singles - will face world number 78 Andreas Beck of Germany in the first round.

Roger Federer will open his defence of the men's singles title against Alejandro Falla of Colombia.

Falla is ranked 65 in the world and has never progressed beyond the second round at the All England Club.

Top seed Federer, who is second in the world rankings behind Rafael Nadal, is targeting a seventh title at SW19 and has been handed the kindest route to the final of the top four seeds.

In the women's singles, British wildcard Laura Robson has been handed a tough opening match after being drawn against fourth seed Jelena Jankovic.

The 16-year-old Robson won the 2008 Wimbledon Junior Girls' Championship at the age of 14 but was knocked out of SW19 in the first round last year.

British number one Elena Baltacha will meet Petra Martic of Croatia in the first round.

Wildcard Melanie South faces Russian Regina Kulikova, ranked 69 in the world, but Katie O'Brien faces a tougher test against 28th seed Alona Bondarenko of the Ukraine.

British number three Anne Keothavong has been drawn against Anastasia Rodionova while wildcard Heather Watson will play Italian qualifier Romina Sarina Oprandi.

Defending women's champion and top seed Serena Williams has been drawn against Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal.

Larcher de Brito is ranked 148 in the world and failed to progress beyond the second round in her Wimbledon debut last year.

Second seed Venus Williams will battle with Roassana De Los Rios of Paraguay for a place in the second round.