Paris (AFP)

World No.2 Rafael Nadal ended the fine run of Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (35th) in the quarterfinals of the Masters 1000 of Paris in two sets 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 on Friday.

This is the first time in six years that Nadal is hoisted in the last square at Bercy. He will face the young Canadian Denis Shapovalov (20, 28th), who fell a little earlier from another Frenchman, Gael Monfils (6-2, 6-2), in just 59 minutes.

The other semifinal will pit world No.1 Novak Djokovic against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (27).

"I've had a lot of injuries in this tournament (historically), I'm happy to be back in the semi-finals," said Nadal.

If the Spaniard is sure to dethrone Djokovic at the top of the world tennis next Monday, the two players continue to surrender shot for blow in their duel for the place of world No.1 at the end of the season.

Raising the trophy in Bercy, where he has never won yet despite a final in 2007 (defeat against Nalbandian), however, would guarantee Mallorcan finish 2019 in the costume of N.1 world. It would be the fifth time in his career, at age 33.

Match after match, the physics of "Rafa", which had not been seen in official competition since his coronation at the US Open and had experienced yet another physical alert left hand at the end of September at the Laver Cup, holds, even in indoor conditions that often did not smile.

Tsonga, who was playing his fourth game of the week, held on to Nadal's lead in the first set, which, within seconds, lasted as long as the entire match between Monfils and Shapovalov. He only scored one game later.

"In the second set, unfortunately, I made one or two mistakes that cost me a lot, and after that, it's the escalation against that kind of player, because he plays loose, and better by better, "he analyzes.

Plunging beyond the 250th place worldwide a year ago, the French is sure to make his return to the top 30, 29th place precisely, after the tournament in Paris.

"I get back to my goals: I left the 300th place worldwide (around the 250th in fact) and now, I'm seeded on the next Grand Slam a priori, it's positive", welcomes-t- he.

© 2019 AFP