AGENCIES
PARIS
Japan's Kei Nishikori cruised into the Paris Masters third round with a 6-2, 7-5 win against Serbian Viktor Troicki as the race for places at the ATP Tour Finals gathered pace on Wednesday.
The fifth seed, one of six players to have already qualified for the season-ending finals in London, breezed through the first set and quickly broke in the second. A lapse in concentration by the Japanese, however, allowed world number 28 Troicki to break back but Nishikori broke again to end the contest in straight sets. He will next face either local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 11th seed, or Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain.
The world's top two players, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are in action later on Wednesday as well as world number three Stan Wawrinka who is closing proceedings on centre court. Croatian Marin Cilic set up a third-round clash with Belgium's David Goffin as both battle for one of two remaining spots for the Nov 13-20 ATP event at the 02.
Cilic, ninth in the Race to London, beat compatriot Ivo Karlovic 7-6(7), 6-2 while Goffin, who is 11th with an outside chance of qualifying, beat France's Nicolas Mahut 7-6(5), 6-3. Dominic Thiem's chances of taking part in the London showdown, took a big blow when the Austrian, eighth in the Race, lost 6-2, 6-4 to American Jack Sock in the second round in Paris.
Former world number one Rafael Nadal is seventh in the Race but has ended his season and will not play in the Tour finals.
