Spain's Rafael Nadal poses with his trophy after winning the French Open tennis championship at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris in May. (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – World number one Rafael Nadal looks set for a tricky first week at Wimbledon with top seed Roger Federer having a potentially easier ride through to the quarter-finals after the draw for the third Grand Slam of the season made here on Friday.

The Spaniard opens against rising Japanese star Kei Nishikori in the first round but could face some problems in the second round against former top ten American James Blake, returning after three months out with a knee injury.

Nadal, the 2008 champion and two-time runner-up, beat 20-year-old Nishikori in their only previous meeting on grass at Queen's two years ago.

The Spaniard, who was unable to defend his title last year because of injury, also face challenges from Latvian Ernests Gulbis and Russian Mikhail Youzhny, a player who has caused him problems in the past, before eventually meeting in the quarter-finals Sweden's Robin Soderling whom he beat in the French Open final.

Federer, bidding for a record-equalling seventh title, will open his defence of his grass-court title against Colombia's Alejandro Falla whom he meets for the third time in three tournaments after Roland Garros and Halle.

The world number two from Switzerland should have few problems against 65th-ranked Falla who has never progressed beyond the second round at the All England Club and whom he has beaten in all four of their previous meetings.

There is no major danger for the Swiss, bidding to equal Pete Sampras' record of seven Wimbledon titles, before the fourth round where he could meet Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, who is capable of causing an upset on grass as he demonstrated by beating Nadal at Queen's.

Federer will, however, have to come through the same half of the draw as Thomas Berdych, Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic and 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt - who beat him on grass in Halle last week - in his quest for a 17th major title.

Three-time runner-up Roddick, seeded fifth, lost 16-14 in the fifth set against Federer in the 2009 final, and will meet fellow American Rajeev Ram in the first round.

Home hope Murray will first meet Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic.

Murray, bidding to become Britain's first singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936, could meet number 26 seed Gilles Simon in the third round, then number 14 seed Juan Carlos Ferrero or number 18 seed Sam Querrey in the fourth round.

That would be followed by either number eight seed Fernando Verdasco or number ten seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals and Nadal in the semi-finals.

Defending women's champion and top seed Serena Williams has been drawn in the first round against Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal.

Larcher de Brito is ranked 148 in the world and failed to progress beyond the second round in her Wimbledon debut last year.

Three-time champion Serena Williams has 2004 winner Maria Sharapova and French Open runner-up Samantha Stosur in her half, while second seed Venus Williams is in the same half as Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.

Five-time winner Venus opens against Rossana De Los Rios of Paraguay.

British wildcard Laura Robson has been handed a tough opening match after being drawn against fourth seed Jelena Jankovic.

The 16-year-old Robson won the 2008 Wimbledon Junior Girls' Championship at the age of 14 but was knocked out in the first round last year.