PARIS, France – Friday’s French Open draw has placed defending champion Serena Williams on a quarterfinal collision course with rival Victoria Azarenka.

Williams, the top seed in the French capital, heads up a strong top half of the draw which features fellow Grand Slam champions Azarenka, Venus Williams, Angelique Kerber, Ana Ivanovic and Francesca Schiavone.

Four years ago Williams was victim of one of the great upsets in French Open history, succumbing to World No.111 Virginie Razzano in the first round. Meeting her at that stage this time around is Magdalena Rybarikova.

Should she clear this hurdle, the American will face either Teliana Pereira or Kristyna Pliskova in the second round, before potential dates with French No.1 Kristina Mladenovic and 2008 champion Ivanovic in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.

However, most intriguing is the prospective showdown between Williams and Azarenka in the last eight. While Williams has won the vast majority of their 21 encounters, it has rarely been straightforward, the Belarusian running her close several times last year – including in Paris – and coming out on top this March in Indian Wells.

Since following up her Indian Wells triumph with victory in Miami, Azarenka’s progress has stalled slightly, a back injury hampering her clay court campaign. And if she is to make her appointment with Williams she will need a clean bill of health, after landing in a section of the draw that also includes Andrea Petkovic, Carla Suárez Navarro and Dominika Cibulkova.

No.3 seed Angelique Kerber finds herself in slightly less threatening company, although she will be wary of prospective third-round opponent Daria Kasatkina. Recent Rome runner-up Madsion Keys is seeded to meet the German in the fourth round.

In the bottom half, No.2 seed Agnieszka Radwanska will get underway against Bojana Jovanovski. Traditionally Radwanska has struggled to make an impression on the terre battue, reaching one quarterfinal from her nine visits, and her hopes of adding to this tally have not been helped by the draw.

Like Williams, the Pole finds herself in a tricky quarter. Awaiting her in the second round could be the mercurial Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, before a likely third-round meeting with Rome quarterfinalist Barbora Strycova.

Should she negotiate the treacherous path to the last 16, former finalist Sara Errani or Sloane Stephens could lie in wait. The last two finalists, Lucie Safarova and Simona Halep, are the next highest seeds in Radwanska’s section.

No.4 seed Garbiñe Muguruza opens up against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, while 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ekaterina Makarova are likely to pose the biggest threat to her making it beyond the first week. Also in this quarter are Roberta Vinci, Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova.

Click here to see the full draw.