Shanghai: World No.1 Rafael Nadal squeezed past Marin Cilic into the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament final with a 7-5, 7-6(7-3) victory to set up a mouth-watering clash with arch rival Roger Federer. The Swiss after losing the first set to Juan Martin del Potro came back strongly to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in a match that lasted close to two hours.
Nadal, runner-up here in 2009, was pushed hard by the battling fourth seed, who put his booming forehand to good use but failed to derail the Spaniard, who has now won 16 matches in a row.
The 31-year-old Nadal forced Cilic to save six breakpoints in his first two service games. The Croat hung on and even had a chance to take the lead, but squandered three breakpoints of his own with the score tied at 5-5 in the first set. Nadal then finally broke the World No. 5 with a running cross-court forehand, before serving out the set.
There was drama in the second set with Nadal breaking Cilic in the third game to go 2-1 up. However, the Craot broke back to restore parity at 3-3. More however, was to follow. Nadal broke Cilic to go 5-4 up. However, serving for the match, he found his rival hitting three big forehands to draw level at 5-5. In the tie-breaker, however, Nadal dominated to close out the match.
Federer was a set and a break down and facing exit against Delpo. But he suddenly found his rhythm and from then on it was a one-way traffic with the Swiss finding angles that he only can dream of.
At a glance
Rafa Nadal bt Marin Cilic 7-5, 7-6(7-3)
Roger Federer bt Del Potro 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Reuters