Federer into last 8 at Paris Masters

Swiss mogul Roger Federer closed on a first ever Paris Masters final when he beat Richard Gasquet to reach the quarterfinals on Thursday. Federer, the third seed, broke the home favorite in the opening service game and secured another break when Gasquet double-faulted at 2-4 down, before clinching the set with a volley. After an early exchange of breaks in the second set, Federer broke again and went on to complete a 6-2, 6-4 victory with an inside-out forehand winner on his first match point. "I feel very good," said Federer, who has reached the final of every Masters tournament except the one in the French capital. "It's always at the end of the season and you've played a lot of tennis. In the past, I've maybe not come in with the best possible preparation. "The draws are really difficult here and it's not so simple to cruise to a final. I hope I can make it this year." Federer will meet Juan Monaco in the last eight, after the unseeded Argentine survived two match points against American seventh seed Mardy Fish, who was forced to retire with a hamstring injury when leading 6-1, 6-7 (6), 2-1.