Rafael Nadal came from behind to beat Pablo Carreno Busta and reach the Paris Masters semi-finals on Friday, handing Argentinian Diego Schwartzman the last ATP Tour Finals place in the process, reports AFP.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion claimed a 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory, ending his fellow Spaniard's hopes of qualifying for the season-ending tournament in London. Nadal will play Alexander Zverev for a place in Sunday's final as he bids to win the trophy for the first time, after the German beat Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 7-6 (7/1). "The thing that really matters to me, I need to return better," said Nadal. "My serve is working well, I think, so the rest of the game more or less I am playing better and better.
"I need to return better if I want to have chances to keep going."
Schwartzman had his fate taken out of his own hands earlier on Friday with a quarter-final thrashing by Daniil Medvedev, who will face Milos Raonic in the other semi-final.
Top seed Nadal, playing his first event since winning a record-extending 13th French Open title across Paris at Roland Garros last month, would equal Novak Djokovic's record of 36 Masters titles with success this week.
The 34-year-old's best effort at Bercy Arena was a 2007 final loss to David Nalbandian.
The world number two was in trouble when facing three break points in the opening game of the second set, but he saved them all before forcing a decider in the 12th game with a brilliant forehand winner.