Gasquet skips Vienna Open to focus on Masters Cup berth

PARIS, Oct 8 (Reuters) Frenchman Richard Gasquet has pulled out of this week's Vienna Open in order to concentrate on securing one of the eight spots at the season-ending Masters Cup tournament.

Gasquet, who won the Mumbai Open at the end of September and was a beaten finalist in Tokyo at the weekend, said late on Sunday he would focus on the last two Masters Series tournaments in Madrid and Paris.

The 21-year-old Gasquet is 10th in the race standings, only seven points behind eighth-placed Tommy Robredo of Spain, who won the Metz Open yesterday.

Five spots are still up for grabs at next month's Masters Cup in Shanghai with world number one Roger Federer, Spaniard Rafael Nadal and Serbian Novak Djokovic already assured of qualification.

REUTERS BJR HT1725