Del Potro seals London spot, feels sorry for Nadal

BASEL, Switzerland: Juan Martin del Potro secured his place in the ATP World Tour Finals on Thursday after Rafael Nadal's injury-enforced withdrawal from the eight-man season-ender opened up another
vacancy.

The Argentine, who had already increased his qualification hopes for London by winning the Vienna title last weekend, was delighted to make it into the finals for the third time.

But he was also sympathetic to the plight of Nadal who had to pull out of the London showpiece, which begins a week from Monday, as he continues to battle back from the knee injury which has kept him off tour since June.

Del Potro said he knows exactly how Nadal feels after his own wrist injury absence in 2010 saw his career suffer a worrying setback.

Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych have already booked their places in London, leaving just two singles berths up for grabs.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Janko Tipsarevic, Richard Gasquet and Nicolas Almagro are among those in contention for the last two places.

Elsewhere in the second round at the St Jakobshalle, where hometown star Roger Federer is bidding for his sixth title from seven editions, Russian sixth seed Mikhail Youzhny defeated Australian Matthew Ebden 6-3, 6-1.

Two Frenchmen also celebrated wins, with Paul-Henri Mathieu overcoming Russian veteran Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 and Benoit Paire lining up a Friday quarter-final date with Federer through his defeat of Lukasz Kubot 6-4, 6-4.

The 23-year-old Paire is buoyed by being at his highest ranking of 46 and fresh from an upset of fifth seed Andreas Seppi in the first round.

Paire nudged his 2012 record to 25 wins against 24 losses as he took down Kubot.

The Frenchman overcame the Pole in just under 90 minutes with six aces and three breaks of serve. (AFP)