Nalbandian sets up Del Potro re-match

Argentine David Nalbandian kept his Masters Cup hopes alive by beating German Nicolas Kiefer 7-6 6-3 in the second round of the Paris Masters.
Title holder Nalbandian, who still has an outside chance of qualifying for the season-ending tournament in Shanghai, next faces compatriot Juan Martin Del Potro in a make-or-break encounter for the Masters Cup.

It will be the duo's third meeting in as many weeks - Del Potro triumphed in the second round at the Madrid Masters while Nalbandian came out on top in the Basel semi-finals last week.

Nalbandian, 14th in the ATP Race, needs to at least reach the final in the Paris indoor tournament while Del Potro, who is seventh, could lose and still book one of the three remaining qualifying spots for China depending on his rivals' results.

Following an early exchange of breaks both players held serve until the tiebreak which eighth seed Nalbandian took 7-5 after 80 minutes as Kiefer served a couple of double faults.

The Argentine then broke in the second game of the second set to open a 3-0 lead, held serve and wrapped up the victory on his third match point.

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