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Nadal, Federer continue on winning course in Paris

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-30 14:35

PARIS -- Top-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal was still on course for a ninth title this year with a 6-2, 6-4 win over French lucky loser Florent Serra in 74 minutes in the second round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday.

A combo shows Rafael Nadal(L) and Roger Federer compete in their match in the Paris Masters Series tennis tournament, October 29, 2008. [Agencies]

The ATP World No. 1, who improved to an ATP-best 81-10 on the season, will next meet another local hope, No. 16 seed Gael Monfils.

The 22-year-old Mallorcan, who finished runner-up on his tournament debut last year, has already secured the year-end No. 1 ranking, hitting five aces and winning 79 percent of service points.

Nadal, who leads the ATP 2008 Race with 1325 points, qualified for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai after clinching his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July.

Swiss Roger Federer fired 10 aces and did not face a break point in a 6-4, 7-6(7) win over Swede Robin Soderling before reaching the third round.

Federer won 38 of 42 points on his first serve en route, and will meet free-swinging Croat Marin Cilic. Paris is the only ATP Masters Series event at which Federer has never reached the final.

Federer said he was pleased to survive the tricky match against Soderling, who has won more indoor matches than any other player on tour this year, including five matches last week en route to the Lyon title.

"It's a particularly dangerous match. I knew I was going to play a player who was on a roll. I was surprised he didn't return a bit better, but I think I've been really serving well lately, basically since the US Open, and I've been able to keep it up here," said Federer.

Chasing his third consecutive ATP Masters Series title, Andy Murray recovered from an early stumble against Sam Querrey to win 6- 2, 6-4 and set up a third-round meeting with Fernando Verdasco.

Murray dropped his opening service game for 0-2 but then won six straight games, claiming three of his five service breaks against the big-serving Querrey.

Murray said: "After the start I thought I played well, neutralized his biggest strength early on in the match and then obviously got ahead early in the second set. A bit disappointed to lose my serve, but again, the way I responded was very good. I just lost my concentration a little bit there towards the end. I kind of wanted to finish the match and rushed it a little bit and it didn't really work."

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga set up another rematch of the 2008 Australian Open final with Novak Djokovic following a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Radek Stepanek. Tsonga produced a hat-trick of stunning winners on the final three points of the match to claim victory.

Tsonga, who will qualify for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai if he wins the Paris title, lost a pulsating four-set Australian Open final to Djokovic in January but claimed his revenge in the Bangkok final.

James Blake also kept his Shanghai hopes alive with a gritty 6-7 (10), 6-3, 6-4 win over Italian Simone Bolelli. Blake fired 17 aces and faced just two break points in the match, winning 81 percent of first serve points.

The American, who next faces German Philipp Kohlschreiber, is looking for his first title this year. In 2006, when he won five titles, Blake reached the final of Tennis Masters Cup.