NEW YORK(AP) Five-time defending champion Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal could meet in the U.S. Open final.

The No. 1-seeded Federer and No. 3 Nadal have been drawn into opposite halves of the field for the year's last Grand Slam tournament. They have played in seven major finals as Nos. 1-2, but because Nadal recently fell to third in the rankings, there was a possibility the rivals would wind up on the same side of the bracket in New York.

Instead, 15-time Grand Slam champion Federer has No. 4 Novak Djokovic and No. 5 Andy Roddick in his half. Federer edged Roddick 16-14 in the fifth set of the Wimbledon final in July.

Nadal could face No. 2 Andy Murray in the semifinals. Murray upset Nadal in last year's U.S. Open semifinals.