Thu Oct 30 18:07:09 2008

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Nadal, Federer reach QFs; Djokovic ousted in Paris

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Paris, France (Sports Network) - Current No. 1 Rafael Nadal and former top- ranked star Roger Federer notched wins, while Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic suffered a third-round setback Thursday at the $2.9 million Paris Masters -- the ninth and final Masters Series event of the year.

The reigning Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champion Nadal drilled 16th-seeded French crowd favorite Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2.

Nadal was last year's runner-up here to Argentine star David Nalbandian.

The high-flying Nadal's quarterfinal opponent will be sixth-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko, who destroyed Czech Tomas Berdych 6-1, 6-1. Davydenko captured this Parisian tournament in 2006, while Berdych was the champ in 2005.

The second-seeded Federer handled rising Croat Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-4 on the indoor hardcourts at Palais Omnisports Bercy.

The 13-time major champion Federer has now won 17 of his last 18 matches, including a title in his native Basel just last week.

The reigning five-time U.S. Open champ Federer will face 11th-seeded American James Blake here on Friday. Blake stopped German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 6-4 on Day 5.

Meanwhile, a third-seeded Djokovic lost to 13th-seeded heavy French crowd favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for a second straight time, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, in a rematch of this year's Aussie Open final, which was won by the Serb. Tsonga also bested Djokovic in a final in Bangkok last month.

Fourth-seeded Brit Andy Murray remained red-hot, as he got past 15th-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) for his 12th straight match win. The U.S. Open runner-up is seeking his third title in three events, having won the Madrid Masters two weeks ago and the St. Petersburg Open last week.

Murray will tangle with the reigning Paris Masters champion Nalbandian here on Friday, as an eighth-seeded Nalbandian erased ninth-seeded fellow Argentine Juan Martin del Potro 6-4, 6-0. The two stars have met three times in the last three weeks, with Nalbandian taking two-of-three.

Seventh-seeded American Andy Roddick reached the round of eight with a 6-3, 7-5 decision over surging Frenchman Gilles Simon, who was seeded 10th this week and posted a recent runner-up finish to Murray in Madrid. Roddick officially qualified for the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai next month.

Friday's blockbuster quarters will feature six of the top-eight players in the world.

The 2008 Paris Masters titlist will collect $450,000.