Rafael Nadal could not take advantage of a first-set lead

Shanghai: David Ferrer beat Rafael Nadal at his own game, upsetting the second-ranked Spaniard 6-4, 4-6, 3-6 on Tuesday at the season-ending Masters Cup.

Ferrer ran his record to 2-0 in the Gold Group, while Nadal fell into a tie with France’s Richard Gasquet at 1-1. The eighth-ranked Gasquet earlier upset No. 3 Novak Djokovic 4-6, 2-6, virtually assuring himself of a spot in the last four of the season-ending event in Shanghai.

In doubles, Leander Paes and Martin Damm beat Israel’s Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram for their second consecutive win in the round robin. The Indo-Czech pair won 6-4, 7-5.

They had beaten defending champions Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi on Sunday and now have a good chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

In the other match, Paul Hanley of Australia and Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe upset defending champions Swede Jonas Bjorkman and Belarussian Max Mirnyi 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Paes and Damm will now face Hanley and Ullyett in the last round robin match.

Showing little respect for each other’s serves, Nadal and Ferrer combined for five service breaks in the first set, and Ferrer didn’t hold serve until his fourth attempt. Nadal finished off the set when Ferrer committed his 14th unforced error off his usually reliable forehand.

Ferrer pulled himself together and broke to move ahead at 5-3 and serve for the second set, only to be left muttering to himself after Nadal broke back at love, the last three points coming on clean winners. But he shrugged off the setback to break and even in the next game when Nadal sent a forehand long.

From 1-1 in the third set, Ferrer ran off four straight games. With both men breathing hard from exertion, Ferrer served for the match, only to see Nadal break and fend off a match point in his next service game to pull within 5-3.

Ferrer then held at love, finishing the match when Nadal tried a drop shot that hung up a little too long, giving Ferrer enough time to smack a backhand cross-court winner, then drop on his back in relief.

Against Gasquet, The 20-year-old Djokovic looked off in every phase of his game, overhitting his usually reliable forehand and having trouble with his strong serve to fall to 0-2.

He started off listlessly and was increasingly disconsolate as the match wore on. He was mathematically eliminated from any chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Djokovic said he had nothing left after playing more than 100 matches this year. “Unfortunately again, I couldn’t be even close to my level,” he said. “I was frustrated because of that. I didn’t feel so well physically, and mentally I just couldn’t... be so confident on the court. I didn’t find any solutions. (Agencies)