Djokovic, Federer win

Tennis: Paris Masters

Novak Djokovic dispensed with the Darth Vader mask but still proved too daunting an adversary for American John Isner when he reached the Paris Masters quarter-finals with a 6-7(5) 6-1 6-2 victory on Thursday.

The Serbian world number two, who entered the Bercy arena last year as the infamous Star Wars villain, survived a barrage of aces from the towering Isner before ruthlessly dispatching him. Roger Federer showed glimpses of his brilliant best as the 17-times Grand Slam champion outclassed German Philip Kohlschreiber 6-3 6-4 to move into the last eight.

A day after securing his place at next week's ATP World Tour finals in London when he beat South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4, the Swiss won comfortably to set up a clash with Juan Martin del Potro, who beat him in the Basel final last week. "It wouldn't be nice to lose once more against him. If it happens I will accept it, but if I win I will have something extra for London," Federer told a news conference.

He will be joined in London by compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka and France's Richard Gasquet, who qualified after Canadian Milos Raonic, who had a slim chance of snatching one of the last two spots, lost 7-6(15-13), 6-4 to Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych.

Djokovic's next opponent, Swiss seventh seed Wawrinka, dismissed Spain's Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-2 while Gasquet was due on court later against Japan's Kei Nishikori. Wawrinka is in eighth place in the ATP Race to London while Gasquet is ninth.

Spaniard David Ferrer continued his bid to become the first man to retain the Bercy title by demolishing France's Gilles Simon 6-2 6-3.

Bopanna-Edouard win

Fifth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Edouard Roger-Vasselin booked a quarterfinal berth but Leander Paes and Daniel Nestor were ousted after a straight sets defeat. Bopanna and his French partner defeated American pair of John Isner and Nicholas Monroe 7-6 (7-2), 7-5. In the other second round match, seventh seeds Paes and Nestor lost 4-6, 3-6 to  Mexicans Santiago Gonzalez and American Scott Lipsky.