SHANGHAI, Nov 18: World number one Roger Federer brushed aside arch-rival Rafael Nadal on Saturday to set up a Masters Cup final with bottom seed James Blake.

Federer beat the second-ranked Nadal 6-4, 7-5 before Blake downed defending champion David Nalbandian 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 16 minutes.

Blake broke a misfiring Nalbandian twice in the first set and three times in the second to oust the Argentine, who had been on course for a rematch of last year's classic final with Federer.

Blake is the first Afro-American to reach a year-ending final since Arthur Ashe 28 years ago, and the first Masters Cup debutant to reach the last two since Sebastian Grosjean in 2001.

Federer has beaten Blake in each of their five meetings, the last one coming in the US Open quarter-finals, and will be brimming with confidence after he swatted Nadal in less than two hours.

It was Federer's second victory this year over the Spaniard, whom he beat in the the Wimbledon final, and third overall. Nadal dominated the Swiss in the early part of the season, beating him in four finals.

“It's a great challenge for me because he's one-dimensional, he always plays the same way but he does it so well,” Federer said of Nadal.

“It's a big test for me and I'm happy to come through. These are matches I'm waiting for, to beat the best who are coming after me and I beat him in the last game (between them) of the season.”Federer opened his first indoor match with Nadal in ominous style, firing three aces in the first game and breaking immediately afterwards with a couple of booming forehands.

Nadal faced five break points before he could hold serve and was only given a chance when Federer, serving for the set, gifted him a break with a double fault, a howling missed volley and a netted forehand.

But the Swiss recovered straight away, breaking back for the set when Nadal ended a marathon rally by finding the net.

Nadal wobbled at 4-5 in the second, facing two match points among four deuces before holding.

He was taken to another two deuces in his next game before Federer chased down a drop shot to take the match with a superb stretched backhand, celebrating with obvious delight.

Results from the Masters Cup Men's Singles on Saturday:

Semifinals: 8-James Blake (U.S.) beat 7-David Nalbandian (Argentina) 6-4 6-1; 1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat 2-Rafael Nadal (Spain) 6-4 7-5.-—AFP