Paris, France (Sports Network) - Rafael Nadal was among the quarterfinal winners on Friday in the Paris Masters.The second-seeded Nadal continued his quest for the title at the $2.45 million tournament with an easy 6-4, 6-2 victory over Russian Mikhail Youzhny.
Nadal has yet to lose a set during his two matches in his first appearance at this hard court event and is seeking to win his seventh title this season.
"It was an important match for me to be in the semifinals after the US Open," said Nadal. "Especially after Montreal. I'm so happy to come back and play one tournament like this. The last two matches have been very good, very good matches for me."
The Spaniard is the highest remaining seed after world No. 1 Roger Federer was defeated by Argentine David Nalbandian in the third round on Thursday.
Nalbandian followed up his surprising victory over the top-seeded Federer, with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (3-7), 6-2 win over fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer on Friday. He is out of the Masters Cup race, but is on track to win his second straight Masters title.
Nalbandian will next face Frenchmen Richard Gasquet, who defeated Andy Murray of Great Britain, 6-3, 0-6, 6-4.
The win kept Gasquet's Masters Cup hopes alive, but ended Murray's chance of playing in Shanghai.
Ferrer wasn't the only Spaniard toppled Friday as eighth-seeded Tommy Robredo was defeated, 6-4, 6-4, by Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, who kept his slim chances of qualifying for the Masters Cup alive with the win.
Baghdatis, who will face Nadal on Saturday, is in the semifinals for his second consecutive event.
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