Paris, Oct 28: Australia's Mark Philippoussis's dreams of making it to the money-spinning Masters Cup in Houston have been given a huge boost by an injury to David Nalbandian, his closest rival for the remaining place in the eight-man tournament.
Argentinian Nalbandian had to scratch from the final of the Swiss Indoors Championship in Basel Sunday, handing victory to countryman Guillermo Coria, because of tendinitis in his wrist.
The injury is so severe that Nalbandian may be forced to pull out of the Paris Masters Series event here, the penultimate event of the 2003 season.
The Argentinian currently has 392 points in the race for the Masters Cup in Houston - a 70-point-gap on Philippoussis going into Paris.
Together with Nalbandian, the contenders for the last spot at the Masters Cup are Philippoussis, Sebastien Grosjean, Paradorn Srichaphan and Younes el Aynaoui.



"My wrist felt terrible on Sunday morning. I tried to hit some balls but I couldn't hit a backhand," said Nalbandian. "It's the same injury I had at the US Open. If I had played in Basel maybe I would need to have surgery. I will see doctors but I don't think it will be much better in 2-3 days."



Nalbandian, seeded six in Paris and due to face either Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman or countryman Augustin Callieri in his opening match, has a bye in the first round and would not begin his campaign until Tuesday or Wednesday.



Wimbledon runner-up Philippoussis, seeded nine, also has a first round bye and will face either America's Mardy Fish or Brazil's former world number one Gustavo Kuerten in the second round.


Bureau Report