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Murray avoids Nadal as potential Wimbledon QF

The talk of the Wimbledon draw has been about who Rafael Nadal would come up against in the quarter-finals © Getty Images

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Andy Murray has avoided Rafael Nadal as a potential quarter-final opponent at Wimbledon, but could face the Spaniard in the semi-finals of SW19.

The alarm bells were ringing for the top players when the tournament organisers seeded Nadal fifth for the event, meaning the eight-time French Open winner would be an opponent for either world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon champion Roger Federer or Murray in the quarter-finals.

However, Murray has dodged Nadal in the last-eight, and instead it is Federer who could face the fifth seed in the quarter-finals, with the winner of that clash potentially awaiting last year's finalist Murray in the last four.

Murray, who will start his campaign against Benjamin Becker, could face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals.

Federer and Nadal have faced one another in three Wimbledon finals - with Federer winning in 2006 and 2007, but Nadal edging the Swiss in five sets in 2008 in one of the greatest matches in the history of the tournament.

Federer will begin the defence of his crown on the opening day against Victor Hanescu, with Nadal set to take on Steve Darcis in the first round. Djokovic has a tie against Florian Mayer.

Elsewhere, Britain's James Ward has been pitted against Yen Hsun Lu, and could then meet Murray in the second round. Wildcard Kyle Edmund, meanwhile, has a tough task against Paris Masters finalist Jerzy Janowicz.

In the women's draw, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova are on course for a semi-final showdown, with champion Serena Williams due to meet Agnieszka Radwanska at the same stage - should they all progress that far.

Williams kicks off her campaign against Mandy Minella, and Sharapova is up against Kristina Mladenovic, with Victoria Azarenka facing Maria Koehler.

British No. 1 Laura Robson was drawn against three-time major quarter-finalist Maria Kirilenko, with Heather Watson facing 18-year-old Madison Keys.

Other British players in the draw are Elena Baltacha, who has former US Open quarter-finalist Flavia Pennetta in her first match, and Anne Keothavong faces Spaniard Garbine Muguruza. Tara Moore faces talented Estonian Kaia Kanepi, and Samantha Murray has Camila Giorgi, with Johanna Konta up against former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic.

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