Nadal gets easy start

Newly-crowned world No1 Rafael Nadal of Spain will launch his assault on the US Open trophy with an opening round match against a qualifier.

The 22-year-old Mallorcan, who ascended to the No1 position on Monday, ending Switzerland's Roger Federer's reign of four-and-a-half years on top of the men's rankings, is looking to clinch his third Grand Slam tournament this season.

Nadal reigned supreme for the fourth consecutive time at Roland Garros in July and stripped Federer of a sixth Wimbledon crown.

The Spaniard could meet big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic, the No13 seed, in the third-round with a potential quarter-final clash with David Nalbandian.

In the semis he could face Spain's David Ferrer, the No4 seed.

Second seed Federer, gunning for his fifth straight title, is up against 114th-ranked Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina. Awaiting the Swiss in the last four is Serbian Novak Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open champion and a runner-up finish at Flushing Meadows last year.

In the first round, Djokovic, the No3 seed, drew Frenchman Arnaud Clement, who reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in July.

"It could not have been worse, Clement said. "I usually fare well at the US Open. But I'll have my hands full. That's for sure."

On the women's side, top seed and world No1 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia takes on Russian Vera Dushevina.

In the quarter-finals, she could face another Russian, Dinara Safina, the 2008 Roland-Garros runner-up and Olympic silver medallist.

In the semi-finals, the Serbian brunette could be pitted against one of the Williams sisters. Venus and Serena should meet in the quarter-finals for a repeat of their Wimbledon final this year.

Second-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic opens up against American wild-card Coco Vandeweghe.

In the bottom half of the draw, the No3 seed, Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion could face fellow Russian Elena Dementieva, the reigning Olympic champion, in the quarter-finals.