Federer, Nadal Headline Masters Series-Paris

Last year five of the six top seeds bailed out of the Masters Series-Paris, or the BNP Paribas Masters if you prefer. This year the event returns to its Masters Series-level glory, featuring 15 of the Top 16 players on the ATP Rankings.

This year only Andy Roddick, citing knee and ankle problems, misses the event, while world No. 2 Rafael Nadal is expected to play despite a dodgy knee. Roddick lost first round last week in Lyon, and looks to rest up for the Masters Cup and the Davis Cup final.

Roger Federer for his part will be attempting to surpass the quarterfinals at the event for the first time. After a bye, Federer will open against either Spaniard Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco or the big-serving "Dr." Ivo Karlovic. Other likely opponents in Federer's quarter are former No. 1 and No. 14 seed Carlos Moya in the third round, and No. 5 David Ferrer or No. 12 Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals.

Federer could also run into his unseeded nemesis David Nalbandian in the third round.

World No. 3 Novak Djokovic is the top seed in the second quarter, with No. 6 seed James Blake potentially waiting in the quarterfinals. Djokovic is looking at No. 15 seed Andy Murray in the third round, and Blake against No. 10 Richard Gasquet in his second match after a bye. Gasquet, after his opening-round bye, will have to first best either of two wildcards in Jo-Wilfred Tsonga or Sebastien Grosjean in his opener.

No. 4 seed Nikolay Davydenko, who was fined by the ATP last week for failing to find the motivation in a 6-1 third-set loss, is the highest seed in the third quarter, and will open against the winner of Spaniard Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez and a qualifier.

If Davydenko can also best either of his potential opponents No. 13 Ivan Ljubicic, former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero or Marcos Baghdatis in the third round, either No. 8 Tommy Robredo or No. 11 Guillermo Canas will likely await in the quarters.

In the bottom quarter, No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal is joined by seeds No. 7 Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez, No. 9 Tommy Haas, and No. 16 Juan Ignacio Chela. Nadal after a bye opens against either Jurgen Melzer or Filippo Volandri.

"I really think they have something special, especially the big ones such as Madrid and Paris," says Nadal of the indoor Masters Series events. "I was lucky to win Madrid and to win Paris would be something special."

Davydenko is the defending champion in Paris, in last year's final beating Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.