Safin chasing for fourth Paris tennis crown

Russian Marat Safin eliminated Swede Robin Soderling 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a second-round match to stay on course for a fourth Paris Masters crown here on Tuesday.

The day was good for Russian tennis as world number five Nikolay Davydenko, the fourth seed and the highest player left in the draw, stunned Belgian Christophe Rochus 6-0, 6-0 in just 35 minutes.

Safin, who won the indoor event every two years in 2000, 2002 and 2004, lost the first set and was a break down in the second.

However, the former world number one, thrilled the crowd by recovering to move past Soderling, seeded 18th in the last regular men's tournament before the year-end Masters Cup in Shanghai, China.

"It's probably one of my biggest wins of the year because he's such a great player," said Safin. "To me he's a top-class player. To beat him on this surface, on his surface, I think it's pretty big."

Safin will now meet either local favourite Richard Gasquet, who beat him last week in Lyon, or Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.

Spain's David Ferrer, seeded 11th, bowed out by losing 6-3, 6-4 to American Robby Ginepri who will next meet Czech Tomas Berdych, the defending champion, or Belgian Olivier Rochus.

Dmitry Tursunov, seeded 15th, was leading 6-3 5-4 when Spain's Nicolas Almagro pulled out because of a torn thigh muscle. Tursunov will now challenge Davydenko in an all-Russian third round tie.

Juan Ignacio Chela earned a meeting with Briton Andy Murray by moving past Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan. The Argentine was leading their first-round match 6-3 3-0 when Paradorn withdraw because of a sore ear.

Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean thrilled the home fans by beating Belgian Xavier Malisse 6-1 7-6.

Source: Xinhua