World number four and the reigning Paris Masters Cup champion, Nikolay Davydenko, crashed out of the tournament, losing a third round duel 2-6, 2-6 to Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

The result comes as a disapointment for Davydenko – not just by the fact of the loss, but also the manner. The defending champion could win just four games.

Another Russian, Mikhail Youzhny, takes on number nine seed Tommy Haas, as he tries to move through to the quarter-finals. If he does, he will still hold slim chances to qualify for the Shanghai Masters Cup Finals later this year.

“I enjoy playing in France, where the atmosphere is always great, - confessed world number 18 Youzhny. – It brings out good memories – after all, it was here we won our first Davis Cup!”

Elsewhere, Briton Andy Murray keeps his Shanghai dreams alive with a straight sets victory over Frenchmen Fabrice Santoro, while Spaniard Rafael Nadal and Swiss Roger Federer will be in action later.

Federer will want some revenge on David Nalbandian of Argentina who beat him in the Madrid Masters final earlier this month. Federer's fellow countryman, Stanislav Wawrinka, comes up against Nadal after a day's rest since beating seventh seed Fernando Gonzalez.