Rafael Nadal stayed on course for a rare double by surviving a spirited challenge from Marcos Baghdatis to down the unseeded Cypriot 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals of the Paris Masters Series tournament on Saturday.
The world number two is trying to become the second player to win the Paris Masters and the French Open after Andre Agassi.
Nadal will face Argentine David Nalbandian in Sunday's final after the latter defeated Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-4 in the other semifinal.
Earlier, Gasquet ended Andy Murray’s Masters Cup hopes by beating the British number one 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Baghdatis needed to win the title to stand a chance of making the Masters Cup featuring the world's top eight.
His defeat hands the last remaining spot at the season-finale in Shanghai to Gasquet. 
Nadal opened up a 3-0 lead in the first set but a determined Baghdatis won the next six games to take the set in 49 minutes.
Baghdatis stayed on top with an early break in the second set but Nadal captured his opponent's serve to level the set at 3-3.  The next games were tight until Baghdatis dropped serve again and lost the set by netting a forehand.
Baghdatis appeared to run out the steam in the decisive set. Nadal broke him in the fourth game and remained in control, although his opponent kept fighting until seeing his forehand bounce on the net cord and land wide on the first match point.
Davenport in semis
Three-time Grand Slam winner Lindsay Davenport’ continues to impress in her comeback by beating France’s Stephanie Foretz 6-4, 6-0 in the quarterfinals of the WTA Bell Challenge, adds AFP from Quebec City.
The 31-year-old unseeded American advances to the semis where she will face Russian Vera Zvonareva who rolled over countrywoman Olga Poutchkova 6-2, 6-1, on Friday.
Third seed Julia Vakulenko stopped Olga Govortzova to set up the other semifinal against unheralded American Julie Ditty.
The third-seeded Vakulenko advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win against No 5 Govortsova. Ditty needed three sets to dispatch Vania King 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.