Paris, France – Spanish star David Ferrer pressed on, while Tomas Berdych became the latest high-profile loser at the $3.15 million BNP Paribas Masters, the final ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament of the year.
The fourth-seeded Ferrer disappointed the home crowd by dismissing sixth- seeded French favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2, 7-5 in 80 minutes on Day 5. Tsonga was unable to break Ferrer's serve, while having his serve broken three times in a losing effort.
Ferrer's semifinal opponent on Saturday will be wild card and fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra, who topped American Sam Querrey 7-6 (7-4), 6-3. The left- handed Llodra swatted 13 aces and was not broken in the 79-minute encounter.
Meanwhile, the fifth-seeded Berdych was ousted by France's Gilles Simon in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, in Friday's quarterfinal action at Bercy's Palais Omnisports. Simon broke Berdych's serve three times, compared to only one break for the Czech slugger in a 1-hour, 51-minute affair.
"I'm happy to play well here because it's a tournament I love," Simon said. "I grew up not far from here and I always used to watch the tournament. I've always wanted to do well."
The former Wimbledon runner-up Berdych was the Paris Masters champion back in 2005.
Another upset came when 6-foot-8 emerging Pole Jerzy Janowicz topped eighth- seeded Serb Janko Tipsarevic 3-6, 6-1, 4-1, as Tipsarevic retired while trailing in the third set. The qualifier Janowicz, who stunned third-seeded Andy Murray on Thursday, fired 11 aces past Tipsarevic.
Second-seeded Novak Djokovic lost in the second round on Wednesday, while Murray and previously red-hot Juan Martin del Potro both exited the draw in the third round on Thursday, and top-seeded and defending champ Roger Federer pulled out of Paris on Sunday, one day before the tournament commenced.
The newest Paris Masters titlist will pocket $620,000.
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