Davydenko secures World Tour Finals spot
Nikolay Davydenko of Russia serves to Robin Soderling of Sweden during their match in the Paris Masters Series tennis tournament November 12, 2009.
Credit: Reuters/Jacky Naegelen
PARIS (Reuters) - Russia's Nikolay Davydenko qualified for the World Tour Finals in London despite losing to Swede Robin Soderling in the Paris Masters third round on Thursday.
The world number seven reached the season finale, starting on November 22 and featuring the world's top eight players, courtesy of fellow contender Fernando Verdasco's defeat by Croatia's Marin Cilic.
Spaniard Verdasco can still qualify but his fate is now out of his hands and his defeat means Davydenko will be in eighth position at worst after the final tournament of the regular season.
Davydenko becomes the seventh player to win a ticket to London.
Verdasco, Soderling, and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are still in contention for the last remaining berth.
Chilean Fernando Gonzalez dropped out of the race when he pulled out injured in his third-round match against Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro.
(Reporting by Patrick Vignal, editing by Justin Palmer and Ken Ferris)
