Paris - James Blake said that injures which forced Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer to quit the Paris Masters "couldn't be a clearer signal that the year is too long."

The American, who lost 6-4, 6-3 in Saturday's Bercy semi-final against Jo-Wilfriend Tsonga, will miss a trip to the season-ending masters Cup in Shanghai for the second straight year after playing the 2006 final against Federer.

Federer withdrew prior to a Friday quarter-final with back pain while Nadal quit with knee problems after losing the first set against Nikolay Davydenko the same day.

Paris - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga eliminated James Blake from the race to the year-end championships while insuring a spot for Argentine Juan Del Potro with a Saturday victory into the final of the Paris Masters.

Australian Open finalist Tsonga became the first Frenchman since Sebastien Grosjean, the 2001 winner, to figure in a final at the Bercy arena as he defeated Blake 6-4, 6-3.

The result sends Tsonga into a Sunday title match against Argentine defending champion David Nalbandian, who advanced over Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in two hours.

Paris - David Nalbandian defeated compatriot Juan Del Potro for the second week in a row, earning a 6-4, 6-0 victory in the third round of the Paris Masters on Thursday.

Nalbandian's victory over his 20-year-old rival also mathematically delayed Del Potro's chance of formally clinching a place in the Masters Cup.

Del Potro has been nursing a painful split toenail for months, with no time to have it removed until after the Davis Cup final with Spain in late November.

He remains on provisional seventh in the race to the eight-man season-wrap event in Shanghai starting a week from Sunday.

Paris  - Roger Federer is keeping focus as he heads into the business end of the ATP season, with solid performances laying the groundwork for what he hopes in a return to world-class wins in 2009.

The Swiss claimed his home Swiss Indoors in Basle for the third time at the weekend before making a late confirmation of his entry into the Paris Masters.

He then leaves early next week for Shanghai to defend his title in the season-ending Masters Cup.