SHANGHAI – Nikolay Davydenko upset top-seeded Rafael Nadal, 7-6 (3), 6-3, on Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters for his fourth title of the year.
The sixth-seeded Davydenko broke decisively in the sixth game of the second set to collect his 18th career title. His flat groundstrokes and angled winners denied the Spaniard a sixth title for this year and his first since the Rome Masters in May.
“I think I was a little bit lucky, but mostly I was playing very well today. I did a good job in three weeks in Asia,” said Davydenko, who also won in Kuala Lumpur two weeks ago.
Nadal returned last week after a month out due to a pulled stomach muscle at the US Open. He looked rusty Sunday, having advanced twice when his opponents retired: Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia in the quarterfinals and Feliciano Lopez of Spain in the semifinals. (AP)