Nadal increased his current winning streak to 16 matches after defeating Marin Cilic 7-5, 7-6 (3) on Saturday to reach the finals of the Shanghai Masters.Marin Cilic has rised his career best World number four position.World number one Rafael Nadal will play for his seventh title of this season at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday.
Nadal, who won a tour-best sixth title of the season at the China Open last week, has now beaten Cilic in five of their six matches.Nadal hadn’t lost his serve in 32 service games but Cilic broke him twice, in the sixth and 10th games of the second set, but won a fine match in two hours 11 minutes.
Cilic’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.
Roger Federer will be the one Nadal face in the Shanghai Masters finlas as he won the second semifinals with Juan del Porto.Federer claimed a key early break in the final set and, as Del Potro began to show signs of fatigue, he meticulously maintained his advantage to complete a 17th win in 23 matches against the Argentine.
The 19-time Grand Slam champion now turns his attentions to Nadal, who holds a 23-14 record over him.
Federer and Nadal rivalry is legendary.We will get to see the Australian Open 2017 finals once again.Nadal would be trying to win this one as he lost to Federer in Australian open earlier this year
The Shanghai Masters wants to expand to a 10 or 11 day event, increase its draw size from 64 to 96, and raise prize money to more than $10 million, starting in 2019.
The ATP board is expected to discuss Shanghai’s request next month.
