Shanghai - Rafael Nadal bids for his fourth Masters title of the season when he faces Russian Nikolay Davydenko in the Shanghai final after the pair took differing paths into the Sunday title match-up. Determined Davydenko stunned second-seeded Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) with a runaway tiebreak to end the Serb's hopes of continuing his Chinese success after a three-hour struggle.
Nadal spent just 50 minutes, with patience a virtue as friend and fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez couldn't go on with a right ankle injury in a 6-1, 3-0 loss to the top seed and world number two.
It was his second straight incompleted win after Ivan Ljubicic withdrew with back problems in their quarter-final 24 hours earlier.
Lopez, ranked 41st and playing in his first semi-final since Basel nearly a year ago against Roger Federer, won just nine points on serve in the abbreviated affair.
Nadal will be looking for his sixth trophy of a season which began when he won the Australian Open but stalled when he was forced from the French Open with knee problems and then had to miss time after the US Open to clear up an abdominal muscle strain.
Lopez was the ninth player to retire this week in Shanghai, a list led by Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick and US open champion Juan Del Potro.
Davydenko improved his standing in the race for one of three remaining spots in the eight-man season finals in London next month as a result of his effort. He sealed the win in just over three hours against a devastated Djokovic.
The Serb was riding a run of form in China including last week's Beijing trophy, the Tennis Masters Cup crown over Davydenko in Shanghai 11 months ago and a Beijing Olympic bronze medal.
Djokovic could barely voice his disappointment after losing the re-run of last year's Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai over Davydenko. "There was no problem. He played too good.
"I'm disappointed, because I think I played a great match, but overall, these two weeks have been great for me."
Davydenko took control of the match in the third-set tiebreaker in a contest which had featured only two breaks of serve.
The Russian made his run in the decider, reaching 5-0 and claiming victory with a winner cross-court against the volatile Djokovic, who had punctuated his afternoon with fist pumps and leaps of joy.
Davydenko stands a win away from his fourth trophy the season.
"I have a good feeling playing Rafa," said the 28-year-old. "He's fighting every match in three sets. That's was surprising here, he finds his game after losing the first set and then wins in a comeback.
"He's a very good fighter, but I have maybe also a little bit confidence in this one. I don't know how he's feeling about his tennis."
Davydenko was absent for three months early in the year due to but has now won his three titles since July including Kuala Lumpur last month.
