felicianoFor a change, Rafael Nadal is the one who has stayed healthy at Shanghai while a slew of players have retired.  Add one more to that list.  Ivan Ljubicic retired after splitting sets with Rafa.  Ljubicic took the first set 6-3, and Rafa returned the favor taking the second set, 6-3.

This result is still somewhat disturbing.  Rafa has been pushed to three sets several times by players you wouldn’t expect to give him trouble.  More than likely his knee was never 100% (and may never be).

In case you don’t recognize the guy in the picture, that’s the new look for Feliciano Lopez.  Wearing his hair longer up top with a head band and a faint whisper of a beard, Lopez is nearly unrecognizable from his looks a few months ago.

Lopez is among the older Spaniards playing on tour.  Possessing a big forehand and serve, Lopez’s backhand has always been a bit subpart, often relying on his slice and getting to net.  However, he cofounded Robin Soderling enough to win 7-6(4), 6-3 leading to an all-Spanish semifinals with number 1, Rafael Nadal.

Nikolay Davydenko played a touch and go match with Radek Stepanek.  Stepanek also likes to mix up slices and come to net, but found Davydenko passing well as the match progressed.  The two have split their six meetings so far.  Indeed, prior to their last encounter, which Davydenko won, Stepanek had won three in a row.  The two meet about once a year, though this is the first year they’ve met twice.  Davydenko wins 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.

The resurgent Gilles Simon finally hit a roadblock that he couldn’t overcome.  Finally playing better in the Asian hardcourt season after a year of subpar results, Simon pushed Djokovic to three sets, but was unable to make an impression on the Serb who is playing the best tennis of this section of the year.  Djokovic beats the Frenchman, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 and faces Davydenko in the semifinals.

Djokovic and Davydenko have met 3 times, all in 2008.  Davydenko won their first encounter in Davis Cup.  Djokovic then played him twice at the year end championships in Shanghai, beating Davydenko in the round robin, then again in the finals.  Davydenko had beaten Andy Murray in the semifinals.

Meanwhile Nadal leads Lopez head-to-head 4-1 with the sole loss back in 2003.  Since then, Nadal has won every encounter in straight sets.

So far, there’s still hope for yet another number 1 seed vs. number 2 seed.  The last time Nadal played Djokovic was prior to the US Open, which Djokovic won.  Although Nadal is playing well, there’s still concern with how he struggles against lower ranked players.  Djokovic would be favored to win on a faster surface, should the two meet.