• Shanghai Masters

Federer tops Djokovic to reach final

Roger Federer will face Gilles Simon in Sunday's final © Getty Images

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Roger Federer halted Novak Djokovic's 28-match unbeaten run in China to book his place in the final of the Shanghai Masters.

Federer defeated the world No.1 6-4 6-4 to book a meeting with Gilles Simon on Sunday. The world No.3 needed an hour and 35 minutes to overcome Djokovic in their first meeting since the Serb beat him in dramatic fashion at this summer's Wimbledon final.

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"He played a perfect match," Djokovic said. "Tonight is definitely one of the best matches he has played against me, that's for sure."

Federer also ended Djokovic's 43-match overall winning streak to start the 2011 season when he beat him in the French Open semi-finals that year.

"I look forward to the big occasions," Federer said. "Doesn't matter where it is in the world because there's always a lot on the line, it's a good story. It was the same again tonight."

The 33-year-old faced and saved only one break point in the entire match, hitting 35 winners and seven aces, while he won 20 of 35 points at the net.

Federer nearly didn't even make it past his opening match this week. The 17-time grand slam winner was almost out of the tournament when he was forced to save five match points before beating Leonardo Mayer in a three-setter that ended well after midnight.

Now he's into the final with a chance to win his first title in Shanghai - and fourth of the year.

"I was thinking about it midway through the match when I was up a set and a break going, 'Hmm, should I be here or elsewhere?'" Federer said. "Clearly I feel very fortunate being in the tournament. But that's sometimes how things go."

Earlier, Simon reached his first Masters-level final in six years by defeating Feliciano Lopez 6-2 7-6(1).

Gilles Simon is through to his first Masters final in six years © Getty Images

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Simon served with great efficiency against Lopez, winning all but two points on his first serve and never facing a break point.

He also handled Lopez's aggressive serve-and-volley game with ease, striking a number of well-placed passing shots down the line for winners and breaking the Spaniard twice.

"I was feeling really good from the baseline. I felt I almost didn't lose one point from the baseline the whole match," Simon said.

Simon had been a mainstay in the top 20, but middling results this year - including seven opening-round losses - saw his ranking dip to No.44 in June.

In recent weeks, however, the Frenchman has been reborn. Having lost 11 of his past 12 matches against top-10 players before the US Open, he's suddenly beaten three - David Ferrer in New York, and Stan Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych in Shanghai.

He's now projected to return to the top 20 next week - win or lose against Federer in the final.

"When I'm playing good, I can play at [the top players'] level," Simon said. "This I'm not worried. The question is whether I will be able to do it tomorrow."

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