Nadal bundles out Tsonga, meets Djoko

PARIS – Rafael Nadal eliminated defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 7-5, 7-5, with his best tennis of the week to set up a semifinal against Novak Djokovic at the Paris Masters Friday.

Djokovic made the Paris last four for the first time by beating French Open runner-up Robin Soderling, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Gael Monfils gave French fans hope of another home champion by reaching his first Paris semifinals in defeating Marin Cilic, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Monfils will play former finalist Radek Stepanek, who saved precious energy after US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro retired when trailing 4-0 because of a groin injury from his previous match.

Nadal, whose year has been disrupted by injuries, ended Tsonga’s hopes of qualifying for the eight-man ATP World Tour Finals in London next week. Spain’s Fernando Verdasco completed the draw.

“It was a very important victory for me,” Nadal said. “It’s probably the first big victory after I came back from injury.”

Nadal returned to competition in October after a month off with a pulled stomach muscle. He reached the semifinals at Beijing, then the final at Shanghai where he lost to Nikolay Davydenko. His last title on the tour was in May at the Rome Masters.            (AP)