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Paris - Holder Novak Djokovic was knocked out of the Paris Masters as Andy Roddick, Tomas Berdych and David Ferrer secured the final three places for the season-ending ATP finals on Thursday.
The trio grabbed the remaining spots after Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who had to reach the Paris final to have a chance of qualifying for the London tournament featuring the world's leading eight players, lost 6-7 7-6 7-5 in the third round to local favourite Gael Monfils.
Roddick, Berdych and Ferrer, beaten 7-6 2-6 6-3 by Austrian Juergen Melzer on Thursday, join Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Djokovic, Andy Murray and Robin Soderling for the London showdown starting on November 21.
Although he welcomed the opportunity to get more rest before heading to London, Serbian Djokovic was dealt a psychological blow before next month's Davis Cup final between Serbia and France as he lost 7-6 6-2 to inspired Frenchman Michael Llodra in the third round.
"I have to congratulate him because he played a perfect match," Djokovic told reporters.
"I returned well in the first set but every time I needed an important point, he came up with a huge serve or an incredible first volley."
Llodra saved two set points in the tie break, which he eventually won 8-6 with a superb backhand return. The Parisian carried the momentum into the second set, breaking twice to prevail on his first match point.
"It did not look too good in the tiebreak but I took risks," Llodra, who was supported by his son and his daughter, told a courtside interviewer.
Llodra will take on either Czech Berdych or Russian Nikolay Davydenko for a place in the last four.
Just like Llodra, big-serving Roddick was also favoured by the Bercy sports hall's super fast court to secure his ticket for London with a 6-3 7-6 defeat of Latvia's Ernests Gulbis.
"It's certainly an accomplishment every year. I think it's an honour to qualify once and then each time I think kind of you realise how tough it actually is," Roddick told reporters.
He next faces fourth seeded Soderling, a 7-6 6-3 winner against Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, for a place in the semi-finals.
Third Round Results:
Andy Roddick (USA x8) bt Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 6-3, 7-6 (10/8)
Gael Monfils (FRA x12) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP x6) 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/2), 7-5
Jurgen Melzer (AUT x11) bt David Ferrer (ESP x7) 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 6-3
Michael Llodra (FRA) bt Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) 7-6 (8/6), 6-2
Robin Soderling (SWE x4) bt Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3
