体坛英语新闻：Federer falls victim to big-serving Isner at Paris Masters

PARIS, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Roger Federer fell at the 3,288,530 euros ATP Paris Masters, beaten 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (5) by big-serving American John Isner, while retired Japanese Kei Nishikori came out the sole other higher seeded player failing to make quarterfinals on Thursday.

The third seeded Federer, who claimed his sixth title of the year and 88th of his career in Basel last weekend, hammered down 27 aces from his two-meter-tall opponent but had to pack home without once having dropped his serve.

"I thought he did very well today when he needed it. The breakers, he served great. Those are the ones he needed. Yeah, that was the difference," said Federer.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion saved all six break points he faced and fought back from 6-2 down in the third set tiebreaker, before Isner sent over a service winner to end the match in more than two hours.

Federer called a trainer to tend him at the beginning of the second set, admitting later that he's feeling some pain in his arm, but refused to cite it as an excuse.

"I was just feeling my arm. I had an issue in Basel already, so I just felt it coming," said the 34-year-old legend. "I just took some antiinflammatories, and I played with no pain in the third. That was not the reason for losing today. It's not serious."

Federer will now prepare for the World Tour Finals in London starting on Nov. 15, while Isner next faces eighth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer, who took two and a half hours to rally past Grigor Dimitrov 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4.

Earlier, Nishikori, the sixth seed, retired trailing 7-6 (3), 4-1 with the shoulder problem which has bothered him this season, granting French 10th seed Richard Gasquet the quarterfinal berth.

All other higher seeded players made last eight as only two from the top 16 were beaten in the second round.

Top seed Novak Djokovic extended his winning streak to 19 matches after beating 14th seed Gilles Simon 6-3, 7-5, despite some sloppy serving and five breaks during the course of the match.

The 28-year-old Serb will next play fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic after the latter eased past an injury-hampered Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4.

Second seed Andy Murray also advanced to the quarterfinals as he pounded Belgium's David Goffin 6-1, 6-0 in just 53 minutes. The Scott then set up a last eight clash with Richard Gasquet.

Rafael Nadal was the last one having sealed his position, overcoming the 11th seed Kevin Anderson of South Africa 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2. Nadal will face this year's French Open winner Stan Wawrinka after the Swiss beat Viktor Troicki of Serbia 6-4, 7-5.