By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, October 12, 2017
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal slashed seven aces stomping Fabio Fognini, 6-3, 6-1, scoring his 14th consecutive victory in Shanghai.
Photo credit: Shanghai Rolex Masters Facebook
Fans flooded to the front row in the final game positioning for Rafael Nadal’s autograph.
By then, the world No. 1 had already branded dominance on Fabio Fognini.
More: Fognini Suspended for Two Grand Slams
Nadal broke to open both sets flogging Fognini, 6-3, 6-1, for his 14th consecutive win and a place in the Shanghai Rolex Masters quarterfinals.
Continuing his quest for his first Shanghai title, Nadal advanced to a quarterfinal rematch with Grigor Dimitrov.
The sixth-seeded Bulgarian beat Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey, 6-3, 7-6 (3), a day after fighting off three match points to edge Ryan Harrison.
A year ago, Dimitrov knocked Nadal out of Beijing for his lone career victory over the 10-time Roland Garros champion. Nadal has won nine of 10 meetings with Dimitrov, including a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 triumph in the Beijing semifinals last weekend.
Facing familiar nemesis Fognini today, Nadal was in no mood for drama from the theatrical Italian.
Untouchable on serve, Nadal served 78 percent, slashed seven aces and saved both break points he faced.
Playing bruising baseline combinations, the top seed stormed out to a 4-1 lead after 17 minutes of play.
Nadal did not commit an unforced error until the seventh game when he ripped an ace working through a deuce hold for 5-2.
Countering with his best game of the set, Fognini hit a tremendous running backhand winner and backed it up with an ace holding at love in the eighth game.
Nadal hit a high forehand volley for triple set point, sealing a one-set lead after a half hour.
The 30-year-old Italian made history when he became the first man to fight back from a two-set deficit and defeat Nadal in a Grand Slam at the 2015 US Open. Since then, Nadal has reeled off 10 of the 11 sets they’ve played.
Snuffing out any sense of belief in his opponent, Nadal broke at 30 to start the second set and quickly consolidated for 2-0.
The 16-time Grand Slam champion’s lone spot of trouble came in the fourth game when he saved two break points, including a surprise serve-and-volley winner on the second, eventually holding for 3-1.
Nadal scored a second break extending his lead to 4-1.
The 31-year-old Spaniard finished with 14 winners against just four unforced errors wrapping up the win in 62 minutes. Nadal raised his record to 63-9 as he sets his sights on a seventh title this season.