Youzhny retains Masters Cup hope
Youzhny retains Masters Cup hope 
From correspondents in Paris
Former Australian Captain October 30, 2007
MIKHAIL Youzhny kept alive his slim hopes of qualifying for the Tennis Masters Cup by defeating Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-3 in the opening round of the BNP Paribas Masters Paris.
Youzhny, ranked No.17 in the ATP Race, is one of several players fighting for the two remaining spots at the season finale in Shanghai, which features the top eight players of the calendar year.
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, No.7 Fernando Gonzalez, from Chile.
Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu meanwhile dropped out of the Masters Cup race when he lost 6-4 2-6 3-6 to Mario Ancic.
Ancic, from Croatia, who also defeated Mathieu at the Madrid Masters earlier this month, next faces 2005 Paris winner Tomas Berdych, from the Czech Republic.
Former world No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, from Spain, will not be going to Shanghai either after being beaten 6-4 6-2 by Marcos Baghdatis.
Baghdatis, from Cyprus, who has only an outside chance of playing in Shanghai, will be tested in the next round by Ivan Ljubicic, the losing Paris finalist to Berdych two years ago.
American Mardy Fish meanwhile served up 19 aces to knock out Dmitry Tursunov 7-6 (9-7) 6-4, his third victory in as many encounters with the Russian.
Reuters