Isner dumps out Federer in Paris

Wawrinka also had to battle hard to knock out Nadal, ending a tense encounter with a superb forehand pass after saving two set points in the second set. I don’t know off the top of my head. “That’s what I’m most proud of.” .

Despite having lost all 16 of their previous hardcourt matchups, the towering Czech had the better of the first set behind a powerful display of serving and forehand blockbusters.

Djokovic won his 20th consecutive match by edging No. 5 seed Tomas Berdych 7-6(3), 7-6(8).

Ferrer was given a warning from the chair umpire at the start of the third set when he yelled out in frustration after missing his fourth break point.

Both men were forced to save one break chance on serve with Djokovic coming up large on his save that was a set point for Berdych in the 12th game.

No. 4 seed Stan Wawrinka improved to 4-0 against unseeded Viktor Troicki on Thursday, advancing to the BNP Paribas Masters quarter-finals with a 6-4, 7-5 victory. He won the Australian and US Opens as well as Wimbledon.

The other semi will oppose second seed Murray against 2012 champion Ferrer.

Andy Murray celebrated becoming the new world number two by reaching a first semi-final at the Paris Masters as his Davis Cup preparations continued.

Second seed Murray came from a break down in the final set to win 7-6 (9-7) 3-6 6-3 in two hours and 38 minutes. “I thought he did very well today when he needed it. I thought he served great”. “You’re trying a bit too much and you lose a bit of confidence It was frustrating, I can assure you, losing four service games in the second set – it hasn’t happened to me for a long time”.

The defeat of Gasquet was Murray’s 67th win of the year, his highest annual tally over the course of a career. The Scot then broke the Frenchman in a tight third set for 5-3 before closing out the match, which he believes will stand him in good stead for the Davis Cup final against Belgium in Ghent. In the decider, the American found the critical mini-break by drawing Federer to the net and forcing the Swiss into a backhand overhead miss.

Federer, who had bagged his seventh Swiss Indoors Basel title last week, wrestled his way back to clinch the second set before falling in the nail-biting tie-breaker.