Nadal kicks off clay

The Spanish world number two won nine titles on the surface last year but is making a late start to this claycourt campaign after a career-threatening left foot injury hit his schedule.

Twelve months ago he arrived in the principality having already pocketed two titles on clay but the second seed will be cautious when he steps out on the punishing red dirt for his opening match against Frenchman Arnaud Clement.

"What I have ahead of me is a claycourt season not the defence of 2,300 points because if we view it the other way round we're not going to get off to a good start," he said on his website.

The hype surrounding his return is focused on a possible final showdown with world number one Roger Federer.

Nadal has won their last two encounters, including a 2-6 6-4 6-4 victory in the Dubai Open final last month.

But having contested only four events this year, Nadal wants to concentrate on his own form.

"I prefer to focus on me, I have to play at my best," he said. "At the moment, I can only meet Federer in the final, so I've got to win lots of matches."

Short of match practice, the Spaniard will do well to get beyond the opening round since he was beaten by Clement in their previous meeting in Marseille.

Should he beat the tenacious Frenchman, Nadal could face British teenager Andrew Murray, who will be playing without the guidance of a coach after splitting with Mark Petchey.

The Spaniard's half of the draw also features his predecessor as Roland Garros champion, Gaston Gaudio. Two other Argentines, David Nalbandian and Guillermo Coria, and Russian Marat Safin could also block Nadal's progress.

Swiss Federer appears to have an easier path to the final as he plays a qualifier in his first match of the year on clay.

His biggest test en route to the final is likely to come from former French Open winner Juan Carlos Ferrero.

But with the Spaniard struggling to recover his form after a series of injuries, there is no guarantee he will be able to keep his expected date with Federer in the quarter-finals.

Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who caused a major upset last season when he beat Federer in the quarter-finals, has pulled out with an abdomen injury.