Djokovic, Nadal advance in Paris

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic and No. 2 Rafael Nadal remain on course to face off in the Paris Masters final, a 55th match in their intense rivalry, after winning their quarterfinals in straight sets.

Djokovic demolished seventh-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-1, 6-2 after losing to the Greek three weeks ago in the Shanghai quarterfinals.

Nadal had a more demanding contest against 2008 champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, with the first set tiebreak reaching 3-3 after Nadal double faulted. But when the veteran Spaniard broke the unseeded Frenchman at the start of the second he took control in a 7-6 (4), 6-1 win.

Nadal and Djokovic are vying for the year-end No. 1 ranking. Nadal will guarantee it for the fifth time if he wins the Paris Masters, while Djokovic is chasing a fifth title at Bercy Arena and a sixth year-end finish as No. 1.

In Saturday’s semifinals, he takes on Grigor Dimitrov while Nadal plays Denis Shapovalov.

In other news:

• Karolina Pliskova advanced to the semifinals of the WTA Finals for the third straight year, beating Simona Halep 6-0, 2-6, 6-4 at Shenzhen, China, shortly after defending champion Elina Svitolina completed a near-perfect group stage.

Pliskova benefited from a bit of luck on match point, hitting a forehand that caught the top of the net and dropped over for a final break of serve.

“It was big relief after this point because I felt it was going to end up in the net,” Pliskova said.

In the semifinals she will take on top-ranked Ash Barty — Australia’s first female year-end No. 1.

Svitolina, beat Sofia Kenin 7-5, 7-6 (10). She made it through the group stage without dropping a set and will next face Belinda Bencic.