federer brushes aside Nadal to win Shanghai MasterS

Roger Federer brushed aside world No 1 Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday and register his fourth victory of the year over his Spanish rival.

The Swiss world No 2 beat Nadal in the finals of the Australian Open and Miami Masters and in the last 16 at Indian Wells, and never looked likely of losing to his long-time rival, firing 10 aces as he cruised to victory.

Federer, the only man who can still stop Nadal ending the year as No 1, took an hour and 12 minutes to claim his sixth title of the year with a clinical performance.

Go Federer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a rivalry. In a perfect world, how awesome would it have been if they were the same age, and Nadal was not plagued by injury? In other words, playing all their games while both were in their prime. 

What is clear is that Nadal is best on clay. Federer is best on hardcourt and grass.Federer unfortunately lost the years 2013 to 2016 where he never won a grand slam. perhaps due to injury and having children. Had these year not been "lost" he may by now have been at 24 grand slams.

There are two men's tennis players who will not be emulated any time soon. Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. Not by any of the current top 20 players in any case. And that includes Djokovic. Murray will not come back from his current setback, I think.

Cera, your comment does not really make any sense. Nadal already has more grand slam titles than Sampras. Federer has 19 slams, Nadal has 16 and Sampras only had 14. Nadal has not only emulated Sampras, he has surpassed him. Also, he is only 3 slams behind Federer, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that Nadal could still catch Federer. One must also bear in mind that Nadal has been plagued by injuries as well. Hell, even Djokovic is already on 12 slams. 

Fed is a gift to tennis.....nobody plays the game with such elegance. You are right Vlag......the link to the shot makers of the sixties......Pat Cash, Edberg, Sampras and Roger. They keep/kept a whole part of the game alive.

I am a huge Federer fan, but I think you guys are being unfair to Nadal. Even with the dominant Federer playing, Nadal has managed 16 Slams. I agree he does not match Federers elegance, but what he has brought to the game is a level of athleticism never seen before him.  

I’m not diminishing Nadal in any way....it’s a broadsword vs rapier comparison. I prefer the way Roger plays....Nadal has many clones, Roger has none at the moment. That said Nadal is greatest clay courter of all time, and having seen Borg at his peak, I never thought I’d see someone even better.