RAFA, ROGER COULD MEET IN AUSTRALIAN OPEN SFS

There will be no repeat of the 2011 Australian Open men’s final, as defending champion Novak Djokovic and the man he defeated in last year’s championship, Andy Murray, are in the top half of the draw for the first major tournament of the 2012 season. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are in the same half of a Grand Slam event draw for the first time since Roland Garros in 2005.

World No. 1 Djokovic will begin his quest for a third crown in Melbourne against Paolo Lorenzi. Fifth-ranked David Ferrer, is the featured seed in the Serbian's quarter of the draw. Ferrer will face Portugual's Rui Machado in the first round. The Spaniard, a semi-finalist last year, defeated Djokovic in their most recent meeting at the 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Also in Djokovic’s section is home favourite Lleyton Hewitt. If Hewitt, a wild card this year, gets past Cedrik-Marcel Stebe in the first round, his potential second-round opponent is long-time foe Andy Roddick. The 15th-seeded Roddick, a four-time semi-finalist, plays Robin Haase in his opener. No. 25 seed Milos Raonic, the Aircel Chennai Open champion, could also play Djokovic in the fourth round. Possible threats to Ferrer include No. 9 seed Janko Tipsarevic and 17th seed Richard Gasquet.

World No. 4 Murray, the finalist two years running, starts his campaign for a first major title against 19-year-old American Ryan Harrison. The Scot triumphed in his 2012 tournament debut, winning the Brisbane International over Alexandr Dolgopolov.

Looming in Murray's quarter of the draw is Qatar ExxonMobil Open tilist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the sixth seed. Tsonga upset Murray in the first round four years ago en route to reaching his first Grand Slam final, where he finished runner-up to Djokovic. Tsonga plays Denis Istomin in his opener.

Two other Frenchman will look to challenge Murray and Tsonga. Gael Monfils, the No. 14 seed, is a possible fourth-round opponent for Murray, while 12th-seeded Gilles Simon could meet his countryman Tsonga in the round of 16.

Four-time champion Federer is seeded third. Riding a 20-match win streak entering the event, Federer’s opponent is yet to be determined, as he will square off against a qualifier. The Swiss could meet top-ranked American Mardy Fish in the final eight. Fish has a tricky first-round match against Gilles Muller.

Juan Martin del Potro is Fish’s biggest obstacle in his path to the quarter-finals. Should both get through their first three rounds, they will face off in a fourth-round clash. Alexandr Dolgopolov, the 13th seed, will look to play spoiler again should he meet Federer in a round four encounter. Dolgopolov knocked off Robin Soderling and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga last year to reach the quarter-finals.

At the bottom of the draw is World No. 2 Nadal. The Spaniard lifted the trophy in 2009 and like Federer, will play a qualifier to start his tournament. The highest seed in his quarter of the draw is Czech Tomas Berdych. Seeded seventh, Berdych faces Albert Ramos in the first round.

John Isner, the 16th seed, is a potential fourth-round opponent for Nadal. The American pushed Nadal to five sets at Roland Garros in 2011. Other players to watch include 10th seed Nicolas Almagro, 2006 finalist Marcos Baghdatis, and three veterans who enter the event unseeded – David Nalbandian, Nikolay Davydenko and Tommy Haas.