Pacific Life Men’s Draw Has Many Alluring Possibilities

Defending champion and top-seeded Roger Federer of Switzerland and Australian Open champion and No. 4 Marat Safin of Russia landed in the same half of the draw of the Pacific Life Open on Tuesday.

A possible semifinal meeting would be a rematch of their Australian Open semifinal, which Safin won in five sets, surviving a match point.

In the other half are second-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and No. 3 Andy Roddick.

Men’s play at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden starts with qualifying today and Thursday. Main-draw play begins Friday.

Juan Carlos Ferrero and No. 7 Carlos Moya, teammates on Spain’s winning Davis Cup team last year, could meet in the second round. And Davis Cup hero Ivan Ljubicic, who had a hand in all three victories in Croatia’s 3-2 first-round victory over the United States last weekend at Carson, could face teammate Mario Ancic in the third round.

Among those not playing are Rafael Nadal of Spain because of a shoulder injury, and Nicolas Massu of Chile because of a foot injury.