**Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko booked his place at the World Tour Finals in London despite losing to Robin Soderling at the Paris Masters.**Soderling kept alive his own chances of qualifying with a 6-3 3-6 6-4 win, which earned him a quarter-final against Novak Djokovic.
But Fernando Verdasco’s defeat by Marin Cilic put Davydenko through.
Verdasco is vying with Soderling, Fernando Gonzalez and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for the final place.
The Spaniard will take it if Soderling and Gonzalez do not make the final, and Tsonga fails to defend his title.
Tsonga brushed aside fellow Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals.
“I’m not thinking about London, I’m thinking about defending my title, or rather winning a new one,” said world number nine Tsonga.
Tsonga will face Rafael Nadal or Tommy Robredo in the quarter-finals.
Gonzalez takes on Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro later on Thursday, with the winner facing Radek Stepanek after his surprise three-set win over Andy Murray.
Third seed Djokovic cruised into the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-2 victory over French qualifier Arnaud Clement.
Julien Benneteau failed to hit the heights he reached in Wednesday’s stunning win over top seed Roger Federer as he lost 6-4 6-3 to Gael Monfils.
Monfils meets Cilic in the last eight after the Croat’s 3-6 6-3 6-4 win over Verdasco.