Nadal to face Federer in Shanghai final

Shanghai : The world’s top two players, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, will contest the Shanghai Masters final after both secured hard-fought wins yesterday.

Top seed Nadal, seeking a seventh title of 2017, beat Croat Marin Cilic 7-5 7-6 (7-3) in two hours, 11 minutes.

Federer showed great resolve to thwart Argentine Juan Martin del Potro 3-6 6-3 6-3 in just under two hours.

It will be the elite pair’s fourth meeting of the year and the 24th time they have faced each other in a final.

Wimbledon champion Federer beat Nadal to win the Australian Open in January and has won the last four matches between the two legendary players, who have 35 Grand Slams between them.

Cilic, who will rise to a career-best fourth in the world rankings, created three set points in the first set but Nadal took it in 67 minutes. The Croat’s first two service games comprised 30 points, while Nadal conceded only three points in his first four games on serve.

But Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion and beaten finalist at Wimbledon this year, gradually imposed himself on proceedings and a crunching forehand down the line from the back of the court earned two break points.

He was unable to take those as Nadal demonstrated his powers of resolve and the Croat, having saved six break points, eventually conceded the only break of the set.

US Open champion Nadal broke in the third game of the second set after Cilic netted two volleys but then lost his own serve as his drop volley also went into the net.