US Open 2017: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on course for semi-final showdown

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are in the same half of the draw and have never met at the US Open

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have been placed in the same half of the draw, meaning a blockbuster US Open semi-final could be on the cards.

Amazingly the pair, who have won this year's three Grand Slam men's titles between them and have 34 major titles in total, have never meant in New York and
after Thursday's draw it's the last four that could showcase the occasion.

World No 2 and 2012 champion Andy Murray became the latest high profile name to withdraw with his troublesome hip injury causing him to pull out on Saturday, joining defending champion Stan Wawrinka, Novak Djokovic, Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori in missing the year's final Grand Slam.

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And while the bottom half of the draw looks wide open - with Alexander Zverev the fourth seed and 2014 champion Marin Cilic moving up into Murray's quarter after the Scot's withdrawal - the opposite half of the draw looks fraught with difficulty.

Federer and top seed Nadal have difficult paths to overcome if they are to meet at Flushing Meadows.

Roger Federer has not won in New York since 2008

Federer's quest for Grand Slam title No 20 will begin against American teenager Frances Tiafoe. The legendary Swiss has already claimed the titles at Australian and Wimbledon and a first US success since 2008 would give him three in a calendar year for the first time since 2007.

If Federer can overcome Tiafoe, Mikhail Youzhny is his likely second-round opponent while veteran Feliciano Lopez could await in the third round before a fourth-round blockbuster with 14th seed Nick Kyrgios, who meets fellow Aussie John Millman.

Sixth seed Dominic Thiem is a favourable quarter-final opponent although 2009 champion Juan Martin Del Potro, who starts against Switzerland's Henri Laaksonen, could emerge as an alternative in an open section.

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Two-time champion Nadal is the top seed for the first time in three years having returned to the top of the rankings for the first time since July 2014 and he faces Serbia's world no 84 Dusan Lajovic.
Nadal's path to a first US Open crown since 2013 looks tricky with Richard Gasquet a possible third-round opponent and Fabio Fognini or Tomas Berdych in the last 16.

Rafael Nadal is the top seed and chasing a first US Open since 2013

In the absence of three stellar names, it is world no 6 Zverev who is seeded fourth, and the in-form German will face a qualifier in the first round as well as a potential semi-final Cilic. who himself must overcome Gilles Simon in a tough first rounder.

Alexander Zverev is a potential semi-final opponent for Murray

British No 2 Kyle Edmund will meet 32nd seed Robin Haase and is in Murray's quarter while British No 3 Aljaz Bedene faces Andrey Rublev before a possible second-round meeting with Cincinnati champion and seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov, who is Nadal's seeded quarter-final opponent and will open against qualifier Vacvla Safranek.