Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis knocked out holder Nikolay Davydenko with an impressive 6-2, 6-2 win in the third round of the Paris Masters Series on Thursday.

Baghdatis offered a near faultless display to set up a quarter-final against Spain's Tommy Robredo or Argentine Guillermo Canas and keep alive his slender hopes of making the season-finale Masters Cup featuring the world's top eight.

Russia's Davydenko, seeded fourth in the $2.45 million indoor event, looked sluggish before bowing out with a backhand error at the end of a one-sided contest lasting just 73 minutes.