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Federer's exit capped a dramatic day at the Bercy arena, where Rafael Nadal saved five match points to beat Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro, and former three-time champion Marat Safin bid farewell to the tennis circuit.
The Swiss master looked on course for another easy victory after cruising through the first set but came unstuck in the second as uncharacteristic errors began to creep into his game.
And the Frenchman started to find his range, dominating the tiebreaker of the second set, leveling the match with a low return that landed just inside the baseline.
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Julien Benneteau of France reacts during his match against Roger Federer of Switzerland in the Paris Masters tennis tournament November 11, 2009 |
"He was very strong at the end," said Federer of his 27-year-old opponent, who has never won an ATP title.
"Even in the second set, I don't think I had a break point.
"I can definitely play better but I can also play much worse. It wasn't a bad performance. Julien went out and got the victory. I had chances and missed them."
Benneteau's next opponent will be countryman Gael Monfils, the 15th seed, who beat David Guez 6-4, 7-5.
Nadal, who has never won the Paris Masters, edged Almagro 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5, saving all the match points at the end of the second set.
"I am very lucky to be in (the next) round," Nadal said. "I played bad. I won. That's one positive thing that I had all my career, and it's important (I) don't lose this ability to win matches when you are not playing really well."
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Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to compatriot Nicolas Almagro during their match in the Paris Masters Series tennis tournament November 11, 2009 |
The world's top five players were all in action on Wednesday, with Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin Del Petro both joining Nadal in round three ahead of fourth seed Andy Murray's opening match against America's James Blake.
Swedish ninth seed Robin Soderling kept alive his hopes of snatching a place at the ATP World Tour Finals in London by defeating Croatia's Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 7-6(6).