Giant-killers Florian Mayer and Feliciano Lopez clash in a highly unlikely Shanghai Masters quarter-final on Friday.
It's fair to say that no one would have predicted this quarter-final match-up when the tournament began. Mayer is enjoying the finest year of his career and Nadal lost early in Shanghai in 2010 but few gave the German any chance against the top seed. However Mayer confounded expectations to outplay Nadal 7-6(5), 6-3 for the biggest victory of his career.
"It's a really nice feeling," Mayer said. "He's such a great competitor on court. For sure it is the biggest win in my career. I cannot actually believe it right now. But the tournament goes on tomorrow so I have to stay focused for the rest of the week. I just am maybe a little bit fitter mentally and physically [than before]. Maybe that's two per cent or three per cent more. I'm serving very well. Mix it up with serve and volley."
On a day of seismic upsets in Shanghai, another title favourite crashed by the wayside as China Open champion Tomas Berdych missed a golden chance to cement his place in the ATP Race, falling 6-4, 6-4 to Feliciano Lopez.
Lopez had endured a miserable summer hard-court swing but the Spaniard is far more comfortable indoors and he's had a fine week to date, seeing off Janko Tipsarevic too. As well as Mayer played on Thursday, Nadal had a terrible returning day and Lopez will work the German much harder.
Look for the experienced Spaniard to take this one and reach the semis.
