Former world No.1 Gustavo Kuerten set up a glamour showdown against ninth-seeded Australian Mark Philippoussis when he brushed aside America's Mardy Fish 6-4 7-6 (7-2) in the first round of the 2.45 million euro ($A4.1 million) Paris Masters.

Brazilian Kuerten, who won the 19th title of his career in St Petersburg last weekend, ensured his 76 minute win by playing the bigger points better than the 21-year-old Fish who won his first tour crown in Stockholm last week.

Fish didn't help his case by serving up nine double faults while never threatening the Kuerten serve.

To add to his misery, he also double-faulted on match point to hand victory to Kuerten.

Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan wiped out the misery of last week's dismal showing in Sweden to reach the third round with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win over Slovak qualifier Karol Beck.

The 24-year-old crashed out in the first round in Stockholm and Beck, who had knocked out highly-regarded American Robby Ginepri here on Monday, was another potential trap waiting to snare him.

But despite some early struggles where Paradorn, seeded eight and a semi-finalist in Paris last year, took his time to find his usual fluidity, his greater class won through as he booked a third round match against another qualifier, Hicham Arazi.

Arazi benefited from his countryman, and 12th seed Younes El Aynaoui, being forced to retire from their second round match with a heel injury.

El Ayanoui, who held a 3-0 career record over his Davis Cup teammate, had nudged ahead in the 77 minute encounter 6-4 3-6 2-1 when he was forced to call it quits.

The result also ended the veteran's slim hopes of making it to the Masters Cup in Houston next month where the last place in the eight-man field is still up for grabs.

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