Beijing - Rafael Nadal crashed to a 6-1, 6-3 defeat Saturday, losing the first match of his career in Beijing as Marin Cilic sent the top seed out of the China Open. The Croatian eighth seed fired eight aces - two of which set up a match point in the penultimate game - but still dropped serve as Nadal saved them both to trail a set and 5-3.
But Cilic, ranked 15th, would not be denied in his first meeting with the world number two, breaking back a game later to secure the win in less than 90 minutes.
Nadal had not lost that badly since January 2008 when he went down in the Chennai final to Russian Mikhail Youzney 6-0, 6-1.
Cilic is to tangle Sunday against second seed Novak Djokovic, who defeated Swede Robin Soderling 6-3, 6-3. Djokovic leads that series 3-0.
Serb Djokovic will now return to third in the world behind number one Roger Federer and Nadal after spending 80 minutes in subduing 2009 Roland Garros finalist Soderling.
The win sent Djokovic past Scot Andy Murray, who could only suffer in London as his ATP standing slipped to fourth, the result of recent inactivity because of a wrist problem that forced him to withdraw from Asian events in Tokyo and next week's Shanghai Masters.
Djokovic, seeded second and winner of two titles this season, broke Soderling early in the opening set after a double fault rectified by three aces.
The Serb came back from a break down in the second against the sixth-seeded Swede, recovering the break and earning his own the seventh game on the way to his victory.
Djokovic produced six aces and four breaks of serve as he improved to 4-0 over Soderling.
The Serb stands 62-17 on the season, the best in the ATP. He was playing in his 12th semi-final from 18 events in 2009.
