French Open: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic placed in the same side of the draw

Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are all in the same half of the draw for the French Open.

With Nadal having dropped behind Daniil Medvedev to third in the rankings, it raised the possibility of a lopsided draw, and so it has proved.

There can be no repeat of last year’s final, when Nadal defeated Djokovic to win a 20th grand slam title, with the pair seeded to meet in the last four.

Novak Djokovic has been placed in the same side of the French Open draw as rival Rafa Nadal

Federer is a potential quarter-final opponent for Djokovic, although, given the 39-year-old’s lack of matches and stated target of hitting form on the grass, it would be something of a surprise if he made it that far.

Top seed Djokovic will open his campaign against American Tennys Sandgren while Nadal faces young Australian Alexei Popyrin and Federer meets a qualifier.

Britain’s Cameron Norrie, who also opens against a qualifier, has reached two ATP Tour finals on clay in the last month and is a potential third-round opponent for Nadal.

It means that there is no prospect of a repeat of last year’s final between Nadal and the Serb

Medvedev, who reached his second slam final at the Australian Open but has never won a main draw match at Roland Garros, faces a tricky opener against in-form Kazakh Alexander Bublik.

Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev are the other big names in the bottom half while British number one Dan Evans meets Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.

The 39-year-old Roger Federer is also on the same side of the draw, but is lacking match fitness

In the women’s draw, defending champion Iga Swiatek opens against Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan and is in the same half as top seed and 2019 champion Ashleigh Barty, who faces American Bernarda Pera.

Seventh seed Serena Williams is in the opposite half and meets Irina-Camelia Begu while second seed Naomi Osaka takes on another Romanian in Patricia Maria Tig.

British number one Johanna Konta, seeded 19, takes on Sorana Cirstea of Romania, with Heather Watson facing Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan.