October 31, 2007	Wednesday	Shawwal 18, 1428

PARIS, Oct 30: Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny kept alive slim hopes of qualifying for the Masters Cup by downing Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-3 in the opening round of the Paris Masters on Monday.

Youzhny, ranked 17th in the ATP Race, is one of several players fighting for the two remaining spots at the Nov 11-18 season-finale in Shanghai which features the world’s top eight.

Clement fought back from a break down in the first set but showed signs of nerves throughout and eventually bowed out with a double fault on match point.

Youzhny next meets one of the favourites to book a ticket for China, seventh-seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez.

Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu dropped out of the Masters Cup race when he lost 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to Croatia’s Mario Ancic.

Ancic, who also beat Mathieu at the Madrid Masters earlier this month, next faces Czech Tomas Berdych, winner here in 2005.

Former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain will not be going to Shanghai either after being beaten 6-4, 6-2 by Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

Baghdatis, who has only an outside chance of making it to the Masters Cup, will be tested in the next round by Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, losing finalist here two years ago.

American Mardy Fish fired 19 aces to knock out Dmitry Tursunov 7-6, 6-4, his third victory in as many encounters with the Russian.

Each of the world’s top 20 except number five Andy Roddick have entered the indoor event.

Monday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):

First round: Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) beat Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) 6-4, 6-2; Mario Ancic (Croatia) beat Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) beat Arnaud Clement (France) 6-4, 6-3; Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) beat Vince Spadea (US) 7-6 (11-9), 7-6 (7-2); Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) beat Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) 7-5, 6-3; Andreas Seppi (Italy) beat Sam Querrey (US) 5-7, 6-1, 6-3; Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 6-4, 6-3; Mardy Fish (US) beat Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) 7-6 (9-7), 6-4.

SEEDS WIN

QUEBEC CITY (Canada): Second-seeded Vera Zvonareva and third-seeded Julia Vakulenko won their opening matches in straight sets at the Bell Challenge on Monday.

Zvonareva defeated Catalina Castano 6-2, 6-4 to maintain a perfect 3-0 record against the Colombian, and Ukraine’s Vakulenko dispatched Paraguay’s Rossana de los Rios 6-2, 6-0 in their first meeting in five years.

Monday’s results:

First round: Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) beat Ashley Harkleroad (US) 6-4, 6-2; 5-Olga Govortsova (Belarus) beat Jorgelina Cravero (Argentina) 6-4, 6-3; 2-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Catalina Castano (Colombia) 6-2, 6-4; 3-Julia Vakulenko (Ukraine) beat Rossana De Los Rios (Paraguay) 6-2, 6-0.—Agencies