19 Oct 2009

Russian topples Nadal in Shanghai final

6:48 am on 19 October 2009

Nikolay Davydenko has upset the top seed and world number two Rafael Nadal 7-6 6-3 to win the first Shanghai Masters tennis tournament.

The Russian sixth seed blasted winners from both sides throughout the two-hour contest, winning a tight first set 7-3 in the tiebreak, then getting the only break of the second to secure his fourth title of the year.

The 28 year old has finished in the top five in the world for the last four years and beat Nadal in two sets in their last meeting in a Masters series final in Miami last year.

And he's a step closer to one of the three remaining spots at the World Tour Finals in London next month.