Rafael Nadal has edged closer to a maiden Paris Masters title, ending local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s resilience in a 7-6(4) 6-1 victory to reach the semi-finals.
The 19-times grand slam champion, who will replace Novak Djokovic as world number one on Monday, faced no break points in a ruthless display to set up a meeting with Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
Shapovalov crushed Gael Monfils 6-2 6-2 to deny the Frenchman a spot in the ATP Finals, effectively handing the remaining ticket for the November 10-17 London showdown to Italian Matteo Berrettini.
Djokovic brutally dismantled Greek seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-1 6-2 to advance to the last four, where he will take on Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, a solid 6-2 7-5 victor over Chile’s Cristian Garin.
Forced to a tiebreak by Tsonga, Nadal stayed composed before the Frenchman lost confidence and allowed him to race to a routine win at Bercy.
Earlier, Djokovic showed no signs of the cold that bothered him in his first two rounds to destroy Tsitsipas in under an hour.
“I played one of the best matches of the season. I prepared myself very well for this match. I lost to Stefanos about three weeks ago in Shanghai,” Djokovic said.
“Obviously different conditions, you know, indoors but I managed to really start off well and didn’t really allow him too many opportunities to really come back.”
The 16-time grand slam champion raced through the first set and came close to delivering Tsitsipas a bagel as he set up three set points at 5-0.
Tsitsipas saved them but surrendered the set with some awful shots.
After securing an early break in the second set, Djokovic did not look back.
Earlier Dimitrov, who had been struggling since being beaten in the US Open semi-finals in September, had to overcome a second-set wobble.
He made a quick start as he broke Garin. The Bulgarian bagged the opening set with another break in the eighth game as nerves got the better of Garin in his first Masters quarter-final.
Dimitrov moved 2-0 up in the second set but Garin hit back with a break to level 2-2 and stole the 28-year-old’s serve again to lead 5-4.
Dimitrov, however, broke straight back and wrapped it up on Garin’s serve on his first match point.