Shanghai Masters: Rafael Nadal to play Roger Federer in the final
Archrivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will lock horns with each other for the Shanghai Masters title after both secured hard-fought wins on Saturday. While Nadal advanced to the final beating Marin Cilic 7-5, 7-6(3), Federer got the better of Argentine Juan Martin del Potro 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Against Nadal, Cilic unleashed his forehand to break downĀ him but failed to sustainĀ a high level in the critical moments, giving away many unforced errors. Nadal struck 23 winners of his own to reach his second Shanghai final - a tournament where he finished as the runner-up to Nikolay Davydenko in 2009.Ā
The Croatian's serve came under fire immediately asĀ the Spaniard started his onslaught with his strong forehand. Although the fourth seed tried to up his service game, he eventually conceded the critical break with the set on the line and squandered a trio of set points at five-all and Nadal capitalised in the very next game, seizing the initial break and closing out the first set after 67 minutes.
In the second set, the pair exchanged breaks midway, but it was Nadal who came in clutch eventually. The top seed struck the shot of the match at 4-4 deuce - a running forehand winner off a Cilic sky hook backhand. Although the Wimbledon finalist did well to stage a fightback, crushing a forehand winner down the line to draw level at 5-5, Nadal fired a service winner to close it out after two hours and 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, Nadal's familiar foe, Federer showed great resolve to beat Juan Martin del Potro 3-6 6-3 6-3 in just under two hours. After failing to capitalise on four consecutive break points while down a set and up 3-2 in the second set, it seemed like Federer might be denied a place in the final. But when del Potro missed a forehand wide on the fifth consecutive break point he faced, he gifted the 19-time Grand slam champion the momentum to turn the match around.Ā
The 36-year-old did not face a break point in the final two setsĀ and broke twice in the decider to advance in one hour and 58 minutes to set up the great rivals' fourth meeting of the season, in which Federer will try to win his fifth match in a row against Nadal. This season alone, the Swiss maestro beat the Spaniard in the final at the Australian Open and the Miami Open, while also defeating him in the Round of 16 at BNP Paribas Open.