PARIS — Defending champion David Nalbandian beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 Saturday to set up a Paris Masters final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Tsonga defeated 11th-seeded James Blake 6-4, 6-3 and could become the first Frenchman to win this event since Sebastien Grosjean in 2001.

"I have never played against him," Nalbandian said. "He's a good player, young and powerful. So it will be tough, but I have to keep believing in my game."

Nalbandian, an Argentine seeded eighth, and Tsonga, seeded 13th, are on course for berths in the season-ending Masters Cup in China. The winner of Sunday's final will go to Shanghai with Juan Martin del Potro, who clinched a spot because of Blake's loss.

Nalbandian will be aiming for his 10th career title Sunday. Tsonga, the Australian Open runner-up, won his only title in September in Thailand.

Davydenko is a former Paris Masters champion. In the seventh game of the deciding set, the sixth-seeded Russian dropped serve and Nalbandian held for a 5-3 lead. Nalbandian won on his second match point when Davydenko's return sailed long.

"Maybe I didn't play perfect like yesterday or the day before," the Nalbandian said. "In the second and third set he started serving better, and the rallies were very good. He hit a lot of lines."

Davydenko lost the first set in 28 minutes but picked up his game in the second set, improving his serve and pinning Nalbandian to the baseline with his forehand.

"When he's in shape, he's tough," Nalbandian said. "He's fast, so it's not easy to get him out of the court with angled shots."

Nalbandian found himself under pressure on serve, down 6-5 down in the 12th game. He double-faulted and lost the second set when he hit the ball into the net after Davydenko had returned his weak second serve.