Roger Federer will play against David Ferrer in the final of the Masters Cup in Shanghai.-Xinhua

History repeated itself as world number one and defending champion Roger Federer blitzed nemesis Rafael Nadal in straight sets after just 58 minutes in the semifinals of the Masters Cup in Shanghai yesterday.

His reward will be a Sunday final against another Spaniard David Ferrer, who powered past an out-of-sorts American Andy Roddick 6-1,6-3 in an earlier semifinal in 62 minutes.

Federer, who revived his best form after a hiccup round robin stage, beat the Spaniard 6-4, 6-1 in a rematch of their duel in last year's Tennis Masters Cup semifinals and will be searching for his fourth title at the finale.

"It was one of those nights when I played really well and felt good. I expected it was going to be a different match, but I was really pleased with my performance for the last one and a half sets," the 26-year-old Federer said of the semifinal, which was just the fourth time in 14 clashes they has played before the final.

"I don't think one match proves the whole thing, but it's definitely to some degree important for me to always beat the second best player in the world. We've been up there for so long and our rivalry has really grown."

By thrashing the longtime rival, the Swiss superhuman improved his lifetime record against the Spaniard, arguably the most celebrated of all active rivalries, to 8-6.

It has been an exceptional week for the in-form Ferrer, who is now into his first final at his first career Tennis Masters Cup and swept to a 3-0 round-robin record to finish top of the Gold Group before overcoming Roddick in the semifinals.

"Maybe the key is to return the ball well all through the match and playing with confidence," said Ferrer, who improved his record against Roddick to 3-2 lifetime.

"But as for me, Nadal and Federer are the hot favorites for the title. They are the best in the past three years."

"To me it is my first final in Shanghai and I'm very happy for that. Now I want to enjoy this moment."

The Spanish number two has had a very solid last-quarter of the season with his first- ever Grand Slam semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, a title in Tokyo, and a quarter-finals showing in Paris.

To a noisy trumpet-blowing Spanish crowd, Ferrer was already leading 3-1 when Roddick appeared to wound his back while stretching to hit a volley.

The fifth ranked American called for a timeout but a rubdown made no difference as Ferrer needed only 28 minutes to close out the first set 6-1 and continued to pile on the agony for Roddick in the second.

Ferrer, the only man still unbeaten in Shanghai, was showing no mercy, producing unbelievable baseline shots to wear out Roddick and even making him chase drop shots before the 6-1, 6-3 breezing win.

"I played a bad first set. The second set I thought I actually hit the ball pretty well. There are some positives, not having played one match since the U.S. Open to get to the semifinals and to get four matches under my belt before our Davis Cup final was needed," said Roddick, who will be playing for the United Statesin next month's Davis Cup final against Russia.

"I kind of have to try to move on because this isn't the end of my year. We have a couple matches in 12 days or so. So that's where my focus goes now."

In doubles' part, top seeds Mark Knowles from Bahamas and Canadian Daniel Nestor advanced to the final for the consecutive year as they beat second seeds Paul Hanley from Australia and Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe in the semifinals.

After squandering three match points in the second-set tie-break, Knowles/Nestor took charge early in the match tie-break to win at 6-4, 6-7(8), 10-5.

In the final they will play U.S. Open champions Simon Aspelin of Sweden and Austrian Julian Knowle, who advanced to their first final since Flushing Meadows with a 6-4, 6-4 win over veteran duo Czech Martin Damm and Indian Leander Paes.