Coria Fails Masters Cup Q-Test at Paris

Guillermo Coria, looking to return to the Masters Cup for a third straight year, failed to win the match that would have clinched him a spot in Shanghai on Tuesday at the Masters Series-Paris, losing 6-4, 6-2 to unseeded Czech Tomas Berdych.

Coria's fate is now up to a handful of players also vying for the final Masters Cup berths.

Argentine Mariano Puerta saw his chances to qualify evaporate after a straight-set loss to qualifier Novak Djokovic.

"It's very probable that I won't be able to go to Shanghai," Puerta said. "In the beginning of the match I was not feeling good. It's great to play the Masters, and I was very close. It's really a pity. I'm very disappointed. I'm very disappointed, that's what I feel. I believe that he will be a champion without any doubt. He's a young player. He plays very well. I believe very soon he will be Top 30 in the world."

No. 3 seed Nikolay Davydenko helped his Masters Cup chances with a 2-and-2 win over Greg Rusedski, and was joined in the winner's circle by fellow seeds (6) Ivan Ljubicic (d. Blake, keeping his Masters Cup chances alive) and (8) Radek Stepanek (d. F.Lopez).

"I really felt I couldn't get through him at all today and I didn't feel like I played as well as I could," said Rusedski, who will reportedly now play a Challenger in the Ukraine in his effort to finish ahead of compatriot Tim Henman for the British No. 1 spot on the year-end ATP Rankings.

No. 15 Mario Ancic was another seeded upset victim, topped by Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov.

Other unseeded winners were Frenchmen (WC) Arnaud Clement (d. Kiefer 7-6 in the third), (WC) Fabrice Santoro (d. Nieminen from a set down), and (LL) Jean-Rene Lisnard (d. countryman (Q) Mahut 7-6 in the third), American Taylor Dent (d. Grosjean), Belarus' Max Mirnyi (d. Massu), and Spaniard Fernando Verdasco (d. (Q) N.Lapentti from a set down).

"As far as my service games go, he was returning great," Dent said of Grosjean. "I had to play some great tennis to hold on to my serve most of the time. He played a great game to break me early in that second set. It's a tough match-up for me. It's a good win for me to get through."

Dent will now get a chance to resuscitate his late-season slide with a meeting against top seed and countryman Andy Roddick.

Scheduled for Wednesday are (16) Hrbaty vs. (LL) Lisnard, (WC) Clement vs. (14) Robredo, (7) Gaudio vs. (WC) Santoro, (1) Roddick vs. Dent, Mathieu vs. (11) Gonzalez, Haas vs. (5) Nalbandian, Verdasco vs. (12) Ginepri, (9) T.Johansson vs. (Q) Vliegen, (10) Ferrer vs. Mirnyi, (13) Ferrero vs. (LL) Wawrinka.