Murray continues winning streak, Federer beats Chardy

andymurray

After victories in Shenzhen, Vienna and Valencia, the world number eight needs to reach the quarter-finals at the ATP 1000 event to guarantee a place at the end-of-season tournament in London.

Murray is now just one win away from achieving that, after a 6-3 6-4 win over Benneteau in the second round.

An early break saw the Briton take the opening three games of the match and after 29 minutes he had taken the set, restricting Benneteau to just 17 points. 

Having converted two more break points in the second set, Murray's progression was confirmed as he served out to love to wrap up the win.

Grigor Dimitrov will be his next opponent after the Bulgarian, who retains hope of reaching the World Tour Finals, cruised past Pablo Cuevas 6-0 6-3.

The ninth seed won seven games in a row at the start of the contest to take control of proceedings, while Cuevas struggled to take any chances he was able to create on Dimitrov's serve.

Roger Federer's impressive 2014 continued after he saw off the challenge of in-form Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 - the Swiss veteran's 67th win of the year.

Chardy, who reached the semi-finals in Valencia, won the opening three games, but Federer roared back to take the first set with an array of perfectly-placed shots.

But Federer was unable to make it a straight-sets win though, as Chardy saved two match points before levelling, although the Swiss came through in the decider to book a third-round spot.

Joining him in the next round is Stanislas Wawrinka, Roberto Bautista Agut and Feliciano Lopez after they all recorded comfortable victories.

Wednesday also saw success for David Ferrer and Milos Raonic as the battle for the final four places at the O2 Arena intensifies.

Fourth seed Ferrer defeated David Goffin 6-3 2-6 6-3 to set up a third-round clash with Fernando Verdasco, while Raonic, who needed an eight minute toilet break in the third set, took just over two hours to defeat Jack Sock 6-3 5-7 7-6 (7-4).

Kei Nishikori came from behind to defeat Tommy Robredo 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-3.

While Benneteau, Chardy and Richard Gasquet all lost on Wednesday, it was a decent day for the locals at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy.

French qualifier Lucas Pouille trumped Fabio Fognini 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (9-7), while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga held off Jurgen Melzer to win 6-2 4-6 6-2.

In the late match, Gael Monfils defeated John Isner 6-4 7-6 (7-4).

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