SHANGHAI // Roger Federer blew away Novak Djokovic in an impressive Shanghai Masters performance on Saturday to end the Serb's winning streak in China and set up a final with Frenchman Gilles Simon.
A brilliant attacking display from the 17-time grand slam title winner, who served with aggression and spent much of his time at the net, unsettled the world No 1 in a 6-4, 6-4 victory for the Swiss.
As well as raising expectations of 33-year-old Federer's 81st career title, the resounding victory will also restore him as world No 2, displacing his great rival Rafael Nadal.
“There was nothing in the game that wasn’t working,” Federer said.
Djokovic, who was the two-time defending champion in Shanghai and clinched his fifth China Open title last week, was gunning for his 29th consecutive victory on Chinese soil in his first match with Federer since this year’s Wimbledon final. Both players were looking to unnerve each other early on, with Djokovic attempting riskier ground strokes to counter Federer confronting him at the net.
Every point was greeted with cheers in Shanghai’s packed Qizhong Tennis Centre and the stadium erupted when Federer broke serve on his second break point in the fifth game. Federer carried his ruthless approach into the early stages of the second set, breaking in the first game with a lifting ground stroke, and he never let Djokovic draw level.
The result improved Federer’s record against Djokovic to 19-17 and will overtake Nadal, who has appendicitis, to claim second place in the rankings. “He played from first to last point a very, very good match,” Djokovic said.
“I think I did not play too bad. It’s just that he played everything he wanted to play.”
Djokovic called it “the perfect match” from Federer.
“This is definitely one of the best matches he has played against me, that’s for sure,” the Serb said.
Federer’s best showing at the Masters 1000 event was as runner-up in 2010, although he won in Shanghai when it hosted the Tennis Masters Cup in 2006 and 2007.
Federer said that confronting Djokovic at the net was part of his game plan. “I was very happy it worked as well as it did,” he said.
He will meet Simon in the decider after the Frenchman powered past Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 7-6 to reach his first Masters final in six years and seal his return to the world top 20.
The world No 29 has contested only one Masters final, when he lost to Andy Murray at Madrid in 2008, but he is in good form after also reaching the last four in Tokyo last week.
At Osaka, top-seeded Sam Stosur of Australia defeated Elina Svitolina, the No 3 seed, 7-6, 6-2 to reach the final of the WTA Japan Open. Stosur will face fifth-seeded Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan, who overcame unseeded Lukiska Kumkhum of Thailand 6-2, 7-5.
In China’s Tianjin Open, Alison Riske of the United States will face Belinda Bencic of Switzerland for the title today. Riske, the sixth seed, defeated China’s Zheng Saisai 6-0, 6-1. Third-seeded Bencic advanced on a walkover when China’s Peng Suai retired, down 3-1.
At the Generali Ladies Linz, unseeded Camila Giorgi of Italy will face Czech seventh-seeded Karolina Pliskova today for the title in Austria.
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