Hewitt handed tough
French Open draw
Top men's seed Lleyton Hewitt faces a tough first week at the French Open as his quarter of the draw, made on Friday, is by far the most difficult of the Paris title favourites.
In the women's draw, the Williams sisters will not meet before the final as Serena and Venus were drawn in different halves.
Australian Hewitt, the world number one, was handed an easy first opponent in little-known Brazilian Andre Sa but things will quickly become a lot tougher for the U.S. Open winner.
Hewitt has no less than three past winners in his quarter of the draw - Spaniard Carlos Moya, veteran American Michael Chang and Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten - plus former world number one Pete Sampras and fellow-Australian Mark Philippoussis.
Defending champion Kuerten meets Swiss Ivo Heuberger in the first round. Fourth-seeded American Andre Agassi, champion in 1999, has an easier task than Hewitt, meeting a qualifier in the first round.
In-form Swiss Roger Federer, who faces a tricky first round match against Moroccan Hicham Arazi, and Spaniard Juan-Carlos Ferrero - the most two successful players on clay this season - are Agassi's main rivals in the third quarter of the draw.
Second seed Marat Safin of Russia will play against the French crowd and wild card entrant Michael Llodra, one of French tennis's big hopes.
Another great French prospect, 16-year-old Richard Gasquet, faces a daunting task in his first Grand Slam tournament when he playss Spanish claycourt specialist Albert Costa.
The clash between Australian Open winner Thomas Johansson and former French semifinalist Franco Squillari is probably the highlight match of the men's first round.
In the women's draw, top seed and title-holder Jennifer Capriati is certain to meet compatriots for two rounds at least, starting with Marissa Irvin in the first round.
Serena Williams, seeded third, plays Martina Sucha of Slovakia in the first round and big sister Venus, the second seed, starts against Bianka Lamade of Germany.
For the first time, 32 seeds were awarded for the French Open draws. French Federation president Christian Bimes said the new system would be reviewed at a meeting of the grand slam committee next week.
