Nadal has bagged only three titles in 2015 but has shown glimpses that he is closer to his best than ever before this year, finishing runners-up to Novak Djokovic in Beijing before coming to Shanghai.
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Novak Djokovic won a superb point against Andy Murray in their Shanghai semi-final following this epic rally.
Sometimes stats don’t tell the whole story, but they did in this matchup as Murray hit 17 unforced errors compared to just one for the Serb. “The first game of the second set was crucial, I think, making that break”. I know it’s going to be hard. I just couldn’t get myself in it. Even the second set, got that break at the beginning and was hoping to kick on a little bit.
He will meet France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the next round of the competition after Tsonga beat South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 7-6, 5-7, 6-4.
The Serb was imperious from the back of the court and broke again before serving out comfortably to improve his head-to-head record to 20-9 over Murray.
After a closely-fought start, the 14-time Grand Slam victor broke twice on the bounce at the end of the first set to take the opener in 33 minutes. The 14time Grand Slam champion’s step is quicker, play sharper and he’s showing more of that steely inner lining in single outings than he has for tournaments at a stretch this season.
The 30-year-old Frenchman produced an eye-catching dive volley to force match point, which he converted to reach his first Masters final since he triumphed in Toronto previous year. I managed to do that throughout the whole match when we played in Montreal.
The Spaniard’s serve had only been broken once all week but Tsonga finally pierced his armour in the fifth game with a smoking backhand victor before he totted up a one-set lead.
“It’s the best match of the tournament at the right time against a player who was in form and one of my biggest rivals”, said Djokovic, who has won nine of his last 10 matches against Murray.
Djokovic is yet to drop a set this week, defeating Tomic 7-6, 6-1 in the last eight.
“I will play against a very good player”.
“Being in the semifinals is a great result for me”, said Nadal.
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This is the Scot’s sixth semi-final in seven Masters events this year.
