<p>Former world number one Roger Federer showed some of his old class when beating Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 at the Paris Masters on Friday to set up a semifinal clash with Novak Djokovic. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The Swiss, who had lost his prior three encounters with the towering Del Potro including the Basel Open final on Sunday, will play a Masters Series semifinal for only the second time this year. <br /><br />He will face Djokovic, who hammered Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-1 6-4, for the first time since last year's ATP World Tour finals. <br /><br />Federer has a 16-13 record against the Serb, who won their last meeting in London a year ago. <br /><br />"Roger is probably experiencing the worst season that he's had in the last 10 years, but he's still a player to beat in every tournament, because he's Roger Federer, because he has won 17 Grand Slams," Djokovic told a news conference. <br /><br />"You can't underestimate him, although maybe he's not at the form where he was when he was number one in the world. But I have been watching his matches in Basel last week and here. I think he's playing really well." <br /><br />Fifth seeded Federer proved Djokovic right in the first set of his quarterfinal against Del Potro, reviving his old brilliance to hit 17 winners. <br /><br />However, he lost a bit a sharpness in the second set and the Argentine made the most of it. <br /><br />Del Potro, who did not have a single break chance until the second set's 10th game, converted his second to force Federer into a decisive set. <br /><br />Cheered on by the packed crowd, 2011 Paris Masters winner Federer played more aggressively and broke Del Potro's serve in the seventh game. <br /><br />Djokovic, the 2009 Paris Masters champion, had to battle through five sets to prevail in his last two matches against Wawrinka but started fast this time out to take a 3-0 lead. <br /><br />He never loosened his grip and left the seventh seeded Swiss with the feeling he had no chance of victory. <br /><br />"When he plays that good it's very difficult, especially on this surface where he's the best, I believe," Wawrinka said. <br /><br />World number one Rafael Nadal faces local favourite Richard Gasquet in the late session's first match before title holder David Ferrer takes on sixth-seed Czech Tomas Berdych.<br /><br />Earlier on Thursday, World No 1 Rafael Nadal broke the stubborn resistance of Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz’s to win 7-5, 6-4 and reach the last eight of the Paris Masters on Thursday. <br /><br />In the semifinals of the Paris event -- one of only three Masters titles the Spaniard has yet to win -- Nadal faces local favourite Richard Gasquet who, along with Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, have completed the ATP World Tour finals line-up. <br /><br />Both players won their third-round matches at Bercy but it was Canadian Milos Raonic’s defeat by Tomas Berdych that sent them into next week’s season-ending showdown in London. <br /><br />They join Nadal, Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro, Berdych and Roger Federer in next week’s showpiece. All eight reached the Paris Masters quarterfinals on Friday. </p>
<p>Former world number one Roger Federer showed some of his old class when beating Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 at the Paris Masters on Friday to set up a semifinal clash with Novak Djokovic. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The Swiss, who had lost his prior three encounters with the towering Del Potro including the Basel Open final on Sunday, will play a Masters Series semifinal for only the second time this year. <br /><br />He will face Djokovic, who hammered Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-1 6-4, for the first time since last year's ATP World Tour finals. <br /><br />Federer has a 16-13 record against the Serb, who won their last meeting in London a year ago. <br /><br />"Roger is probably experiencing the worst season that he's had in the last 10 years, but he's still a player to beat in every tournament, because he's Roger Federer, because he has won 17 Grand Slams," Djokovic told a news conference. <br /><br />"You can't underestimate him, although maybe he's not at the form where he was when he was number one in the world. But I have been watching his matches in Basel last week and here. I think he's playing really well." <br /><br />Fifth seeded Federer proved Djokovic right in the first set of his quarterfinal against Del Potro, reviving his old brilliance to hit 17 winners. <br /><br />However, he lost a bit a sharpness in the second set and the Argentine made the most of it. <br /><br />Del Potro, who did not have a single break chance until the second set's 10th game, converted his second to force Federer into a decisive set. <br /><br />Cheered on by the packed crowd, 2011 Paris Masters winner Federer played more aggressively and broke Del Potro's serve in the seventh game. <br /><br />Djokovic, the 2009 Paris Masters champion, had to battle through five sets to prevail in his last two matches against Wawrinka but started fast this time out to take a 3-0 lead. <br /><br />He never loosened his grip and left the seventh seeded Swiss with the feeling he had no chance of victory. <br /><br />"When he plays that good it's very difficult, especially on this surface where he's the best, I believe," Wawrinka said. <br /><br />World number one Rafael Nadal faces local favourite Richard Gasquet in the late session's first match before title holder David Ferrer takes on sixth-seed Czech Tomas Berdych.<br /><br />Earlier on Thursday, World No 1 Rafael Nadal broke the stubborn resistance of Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz’s to win 7-5, 6-4 and reach the last eight of the Paris Masters on Thursday. <br /><br />In the semifinals of the Paris event -- one of only three Masters titles the Spaniard has yet to win -- Nadal faces local favourite Richard Gasquet who, along with Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, have completed the ATP World Tour finals line-up. <br /><br />Both players won their third-round matches at Bercy but it was Canadian Milos Raonic’s defeat by Tomas Berdych that sent them into next week’s season-ending showdown in London. <br /><br />They join Nadal, Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro, Berdych and Roger Federer in next week’s showpiece. All eight reached the Paris Masters quarterfinals on Friday. </p>