By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Rafael Nadal needed just 54 minutes to rampage past Jared Donaldson, 6-2, 6-1, to his 13th straight victory in Shanghai.
Photo credit: China Open Facebook
Rafael Nadal turned his Shanghai return into a streak show.
Firing his forehand into the corners, Nadal demolished Jared Donaldson, 6-2, 6-1, charging to his 13th consecutive victory at the Shanghai Rolex Masters.
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Empowered by back-to-back titles at the US Open and Beijing, Nadal arrived in Shanghai knowing he can clinch the year-end world No. 1 ranking if he wins his first Shanghai title and second-ranked Roger Federer falls before the semifinals.
Shanghai, Paris and Miami are the only Masters 1000 crowns missing from Nadal's impressive resume.
Playing with precision and depth to his drives, Nadal rapped 21 winners, including 12 from his twisting topspin forehand, against just five unforced errors in a 54-minute thrashing. Nadal raised his record to 62-9 on the season, including a 35-7 mark on hard courts.
Hitting the curling crosscourt forehand to spread the court, Nadal often tormented the 21-year-old American finishing with his flatter forehand drive down the line.
The top-seeded Spaniard burst out of the blocks quickly, sliding an ace to seal the opening game. Donaldson stayed in step through four games, stamping a love hold for 2-all.
Then Nadal turned up the pace and pounded the world No. 56 into submission racing through seven straight games to put the match out of reach.
Donaldson saved three break points in the sixth game only to scatter successive forehands as Nadal broke for 4-2.
Two games later, Donaldson double faulted to donate two set points. Nadal converted his second to snatch a one-set lead.
Fully engaged, Nadal was quick to the ball and struck declarative drives reeling off 12 consecutive points to open the second set. Donaldson drilled an ace down the middle to finally get on the board in the second set.
That was a brief reprieve.
Nadal, who smacked five aces and did not face break point, curled a forehand winner down the line closing an emphatic victory in 54 minutes.
The victory vaults the 16-time Grand Slam champion into a round of 16 rematch with old nemesis Fabio Fognini, who outdueled Lucas Pouille, 7-6 (7), 6-3, yesterday.
In Beijing last week, Nadal saved match points repelling Pouille.
When fully focused and committed to the cause, Fognini can pose major problems for Nadal.
The theatrical Italian made history as the first man to rally from two sets down and defeat the king of clay in a Grand Slam as Fognini played inspired tennis shocking Nadal at the 2015 US Open.
Since then, Nadal has won four in a row vs. Fognini, sweeping eight of nine sets they’ve played in taking a 9-3 lead in their head-to-head series.
Grigor Dimitrov, who fell to Nadal in the Beijing semifinals on Saturday, made a spirited stand today. Dimitrov fought off three match points, rallying from 3-6 down in the decisive tie break to fight past Ryan Harrison 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6). Dimitrov stuck an ace off the sideline on match point in a match that ended with an emotional embrace between the pair at net.
Dimitrov will face 10th-seeded Sam Querrey for a quarterfinal spot and potential shot against Nadal.
In an all-American match played on a small indoor court, Querrey crashed 24 aces and saved nine of 10 break points subduing qualifier Frances Tiafoe, 6-3, 7-6 (6).
The ninth-ranked Dimitrov is 2-0 lifetime vs. Wimbledon semifinalist Querrey.
Gilles Simon snapped David Goffin's nine-match winning streak, dealing the eighth-seeded Belgian a 7-6 (4), 6-3 defeat. Simon will play compatriot Richard Gasquet in an all-French round of 16 match.
The 31st-ranked Gasquet has won all six prior meetings with Simon though their last match was five years ago.
Alexander Zverev held a 4-0 lead over Aljaz Bedene when the 48th-ranked Briton retired sending the third-seeded Zverev into his first meeting with Juan Martin del Potro.
Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff withstood 21 aces from Kevin Anderson toppling the US Open finalist, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2), in 91 minutes. Stuff plays Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas next.