19 October,2009 09:17 AM IST | | Agencies
Nikolay Davydenko delivered a blow to the comeback hopes of top seed Rafael Nadal with a 7-6(3), 6-3 victory in the final of the Shanghai Masters here Sunday.
Davydenko added Nadal to a Shanghai casualty list which included second seed Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
The Russian, chasing one of three spots in next month's ATP season wrap-up event in London, won his fourth title of the season, all coming since July.
Davydenko leaves Asia for the Kremlin Cup next week with two trophies after winning Kuala Lumpur in September.
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The win denied Nadal his first success since Rome in late April and kept the world number two on five titles in 2009.
"He played better than me today," said Nadal. "But that's tennis. I will certainly be back next year to try and win here."
The Spaniard was playing only his second event since returning after a month away with an abdominal strain.
