Safin stays on course for fourth Paris crown

Russia's Marat Safin produced a combative display to knock out Swede Robin Soderling 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a second-round match on Tuesday and stay on course for a fourth Paris Masters crown.

On a good day for Russian tennis, world number five Nikolay Davydenko, the fourth seed and the highest player left in the draw after a string of high profile withdrawals, humiliated Belgian lucky loser Christophe Rochus 6-0, 6-0 in just 35 minutes.

The gifted but erratic Safin, who has a reputation for winning the indoor event every two years with triumphs in 2000, 2002 and 2004, lost the first set and was a break down in the second.

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

A raging forehand volley earned Safin a first match point, which he converted with a service winner to seal victory in just under two hours.

"It's probably one of my biggest wins of the year because he's such a great player," said Safin.

"I saw him almost beat Roger (Federer) in Madrid. To me he's a top-class player. To beat him on this surface, on his surface, I think it's pretty big.

"I feel more comfortable here than anywhere else and that probably made a huge difference today."

FERRER OUT

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 but more at ease on clay than on fast indoor surfaces, bowed out by losing 6-3, 6-4 to American Robby Ginepri.

Ginepri next meets 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 baseliner was leading their first-round match 6-3, 3-0 when Paradorn was forced to withdraw because of a sore ear.

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

World number one Roger Federer pulled out of the tournament on Monday, citing exhaustion, and left the event without five of the world's top six players.