Roger Federer stayed on course for the year-end No.1 battle with Novak Djokovic after rallying past Jeremy Chardy to advance to the BNP Paribas Masters round of 16 while Andy Murray moved closer to qualifying for next month’s tennis World Tour Finals.
Federer, the world no.2 from Switzerland, missed two match points in the second set but eventually wrapped up a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-4 win, with two aces against the local favourite in the deciding game on Wednesday, reported Xinhua.
With 1,000 points up for grabs this week in Paris, Federer, who came into the 2,884,675 Euros tournament with victories in Basel and Shanghai, is trying to keep up the heat on the top-ranked, Serbian Djokovic.
Federer will vie for a quarterfinal slot against French qualifier Lucas Pouille, who upset the 16th seed Fabio Fognini of Italy, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7). Earlier Wednesday, world no.8 Briton Andy Murray beat another Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-4 to move one victory away from qualifying for the World Tour Finals in London starting Nov 9. He next plays the ninth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, who destroyed Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas 6-0, 6-3. Dimitrov also has a chance to qualify for the season-ending tournament.
Seventh seed Milos Raonic of Canada also kept his London hopes alive with a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (4) win over American qualifier Jack Sock, and so did fourth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer who beat Belgian David Goffin 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Other top seeds to join Murray and Federer in the third round were Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, who beat Austrian Dominic Thiem, and this year’s U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori who proved too strong for Spain’s Tommy Robredo.
Berdych in quarters
Tomas Berdych stayed on course for qualifying for the ATP Finals for the fifth straight year by beating Feliciano Lopez 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Berdych, the 2005 champion at the Palais Omnisports, hit eight aces and saved six of the eight break points he faced to move one match away from the season-ending tournament in London from November 9-16.
Berdych will be guaranteed to play at the O2 Arena if he reaches the semis in Paris. He will next play third-seeded Stan Wawrinka. Four spots are still up for grabs in the race to London with Andy Murray hoping to qualify later on Thursday with a win over 11th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov.
Federer, the world no.2 from Switzerland, missed two match points in the second set but eventually wrapped up a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-4 win, with two aces against the local favourite in the deciding game on Wednesday, reported Xinhua.
With 1,000 points up for grabs this week in Paris, Federer, who came into the 2,884,675 Euros tournament with victories in Basel and Shanghai, is trying to keep up the heat on the top-ranked, Serbian Djokovic.
Federer will vie for a quarterfinal slot against French qualifier Lucas Pouille, who upset the 16th seed Fabio Fognini of Italy, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7). Earlier Wednesday, world no.8 Briton Andy Murray beat another Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-4 to move one victory away from qualifying for the World Tour Finals in London starting Nov 9. He next plays the ninth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, who destroyed Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas 6-0, 6-3. Dimitrov also has a chance to qualify for the season-ending tournament.
Seventh seed Milos Raonic of Canada also kept his London hopes alive with a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (4) win over American qualifier Jack Sock, and so did fourth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer who beat Belgian David Goffin 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Other top seeds to join Murray and Federer in the third round were Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, who beat Austrian Dominic Thiem, and this year’s U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori who proved too strong for Spain’s Tommy Robredo.
Berdych in quarters
Tomas Berdych stayed on course for qualifying for the ATP Finals for the fifth straight year by beating Feliciano Lopez 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Berdych, the 2005 champion at the Palais Omnisports, hit eight aces and saved six of the eight break points he faced to move one match away from the season-ending tournament in London from November 9-16.
Berdych will be guaranteed to play at the O2 Arena if he reaches the semis in Paris. He will next play third-seeded Stan Wawrinka. Four spots are still up for grabs in the race to London with Andy Murray hoping to qualify later on Thursday with a win over 11th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov.