Top-ranked Federer to play No. 12 Murray in 1st round at Dubai Championships
AP
Posted: 2008-03-01 11:27:27
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Top-ranked Roger Federer was drawn to play the 12th-ranked Andy Murray of Britain in the opening round at the Dubai Championships.Federer, a four-time champion, has lost only two matches since playing in Dubai for the first time in 2002 - to Rainer Schuettler of Germany in the round-of-16 in 2002 and Rafael Nadal in the 2006 final.Federer and Murray are 1-1 in head-to-head. The Briton won their last match, in the second round of the 2006 ATP Masters in Cincinnati.The tournament starts Monday at the Aviation Club.The second-ranked Nadal was drawn Saturday to play Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany. If he wins, Nadal will then meet either UAE wild card Nader Mahmoud or a qualifier in the second round.Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic opens against Marin Cilic of Croatia. The Serb could then play Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, who lost to Federer in last year's final.Sixth-seeded Andy Roddick will make his Dubai debut against former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero.The top six ranked players are in in the field of 32 with the winner collecting $US300,000 (198,000).
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03/01/08 11:26 EST