Davydenko gets Masters Cup berth as race reaches climax

MELBOURNE, Oct 30 (Reuters) Nikolay Davydenko became the fifth player to secure his place in the season-ending 3.7 million dollar Masters Cup in Shanghai, the ATP said today.

The 25-year-old Russian, who reached the semis on his Masters Cup debut last season, joins Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Ivan Ljubicic and Andy Roddick in the confirmed eight-player line-up for the Nov.

12-19 season finale at the Qi Zhong Stadium.

The U S Open semi-finalist secured his place despite a second-round exit at his home tournament in St. Petersburg last week with four players now unable to surpass his position at 5th in the ATP 2006 Race standings.

Reigning Masters Cup champion David Nalbandian of Argentina stands sixth in the rankings, ahead of American James Blake and Spain's Tommy Robredo in the vulnerable eighth spot.

Chilean Fernando Gonzalez is just eight points behind Robredo after his defeat to world number one Federer in the final of the Swiss Indoors in Basel while Croatia's Mario Ancic is 23 points behind the Spaniard after winning the St. Petersburg crown.

The pair are scheduled to meet in the third round of this week's Paris Masters, the last qualification event for the Shanghai showdown.

''I have a good chance to qualify for Shanghai, which I don't want to miss,'' Gonzalez said. ''It would be great to qualify for the Masters Cup.'' Blake is drawn to meet Tommy Haas in the third round in Paris, with the German standing 12th in the rankings and needing to win the tournament to qualify for Shanghai.

A successful defence of his Paris Masters title is also required by Czech Tomas Berdych, the number 13, if he is to reach his first Masters Cup.

Israelis Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram clinched the seventh place in the eight-team doubles field in Shanghai, the ATP said, with three pairings competing for the final berth.

Reuters AY DB0928