PARIS, Nov 1: Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko stayed on course for a berth at the year-end Masters Cup when he crushed former champion Greg Rusedski 6-2 6-2 in the second round of the Paris Masters on Tuesday.

Davydenko, seeded third, needed just 59 minutes to move past Rusedski, who won the indoor tournament in 1998 and would have made sure of ending the season as the British number one ahead of Tim Henman had he won.

A semifinalist at this year’s French Open, Davydenko sits in seventh place in the ATP Champions race and will qualify for the eight-strong season’s finale from Nov. 13 in Shanghai if he can hold on to that spot.

The 32-year-old Rusedski, who scored a memorable win over Pete Sampras in the final here seven years ago, was never in contention against Davydenko.

The Russian all-rounder remained in control until hitting a forehand winner on the first match point.

Second seed Guillermo Coria had earlier disappeared from the lucrative event, brushed aside 6-4 6-2 by Czech Tomas Berdych.

Argentine Coria, who would have secured a Masters Cup berth with a victory, looked clumsy and made a string of unforced errors.

Berdych, who had beaten fellow Czech Jiri Novak in the first round, capitalised on his opponent’s mistakes and earned three match points when Coria netted a backhand.

Coria saved the first two with service winners but on the third Berdych fired a backhand pass down the line to seal victory in just over an hour.

Currently in sixth place in the ATP Champions race, Coria can still win one of the two remaining tickets to Shanghai.

His fate now depends on how the other eight contenders fare in Paris.

Results

First round: Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Nicolas Lapentti (ECU) 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 7-5; Jean-Rene Lisnard (FRA) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7/5); Arnaud Clement (FRA) bt Nicolas Kiefer (GER) 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (8/6).

Second round: Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Guillermo Coria (ARG) 6-4, 6-2; Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) bt Greg Rusedski (GBR) 6-2, 6-2.—AFP