Federer, Nadal to resume rivalry

Roger Federer [Images] and Rafael Nadal [Images] will resume their burgeoning rivalry when they head a stellar field for the Montreal Masters, which begins on Sunday.

World number one and defending champion Federer makes his first appearance since beating Spaniard Nadal in a five-set classic last month to equal Bjorn Borg's record of five straight Wimbledon victories.

The Swiss leads a field that includes all of the world's top 23 players, with the top eight seeds receiving a bye into the second round.

Federer, who is bidding to win for a third time at the tournament which alternates between Toronto and Montreal, plays the winner of the first-round match between big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic and another big-hitter, Max Mirnyi of Belarus.

French Open champion Nadal, the winner in Montreal two years ago, has a tough draw with either former world number one Marat Safin [Images] of Russia [Images] or Swede Robin Soderling, who pushed him to five sets at Wimbledon, awaiting him in round two.

Nadal has won six titles this year, two more than Federer, but though both men will be looking to win the title, they will also have one eye on the bigger prize - the US Open, which begins on Aug 27.

Federer's Wimbledon victory gave him his 11th grand-slam title and a fourth straight win at Flushing Meadows would move him to within two of the all-time record held by American Pete Sampras.

World number 13 Andy Murray is due to make his first appearance in almost three months when he plays American Robby Ginepri in round one.

The Briton has been out of action since May 15 when he tore tendons in his right wrist at the Hamburg Masters.

The most intriguing match of the first round, though, could be the battle between two former world number ones, Australian Lleyton Hewitt [Images] and Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last month, takes on 15th seed Guillermo Canas of Argentina, while Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis faces another former world number one Carlos Moya [Images].

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