Murray edging toward world number three ranking

By Bill Scott Oct 15, 2011, 15:39 GMT

Shanghai - Andy Murray moved to the brink of an Asian trophy hat-trick on Saturday as he crushed Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-0 to set up a Shanghai Rolex Masters final with Spain's David Ferrer.

Third seed Ferrer completed a third consecutive comeback from a set down to reach the title match, defeating compatriot Feliciano Lopez 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-3.

Murray, moving closer to the world number three ranking held by Roger Federer, will hope to add the Chinese trophy to those he has lifted over the past two weeks in Bangkok and Tokyo.

According to calculations, a victory would send him past the Swiss.

'Obviously that's something that I'll been trying to do for these next few months, because I can't really finish the number one or two,' said the Scot. 'It's a goal I had for the end of the month.

'It would be nice to finish number three because that would be the highest ranking I finished at. It's not the ultimate goal, but it's a step in the right direction.'

Second seed Murray won the last eight games and allowed the shell-shocked Nishikori just a dozen points in the final set. The youngster was broken in the final game on his 20th unforced error as Murray prevailed with 20 winners in the rout.

'I served well and got a lot of free points,' said Murray. 'I didn't give him any chances. If you can do that, then you can make life easy for yourself.

'Because of the courts and the balls are very fast here, if you serve well, you're going to give yourself opportunities because you can definitely put pressure on guys by getting through a few quick service games.'

Nishikori was playing for history as the first Asian to reach a Masters semi-final since Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan at Indian Wells 2006. Nishikori will better Shuzo Matsuoka's previous Japanese national ranking record of number 46 and should rise to 32nd in Monday's list.

'I was thinking if I can get a top 30 or a top 40 this year, that was my goal,' said teh Japanese player. 'I still have a couple more tournaments. If I can get to top 32 to finish this year, it would be good for next Grand Slam.'

Murray has been unstoppable all month in the region and has now won 24 of his last 25 matches dating to Cincinnati in August.

The Scot broke twice in the first set against Nishikori and was never threatened in 56 minutes on court.

A victory on Sunday would give Murray his fifth title of the season, half of the total of number one Novak Djokovic.

Ferrer will compete for his third trophy of 2011 after Auckland and Acapulco. He trails Murray 3-4 after last losing to him a week ago in the Tokyo semi-finals.

Ferrer, the Spanish number two behind Nadal, has made fightbacks a habit this week as he recovered from first-set losses to beat Juan Carlos Ferrero and Andy Roddick in the previous rounds.

'He's always tough,' Murray said of the Spaniard, 'I played well against him last week. But every match is obviously different.

'He's definitely going to be bang up for the match tomorrow. He fights, well, right until the end in every single match. It's definitely a match where if I want to win, I'm going to have to play very, very well.'

Lopez came to the court with a 6-1 lead in the all-Iberian series, But Lopez, ranked 28th, had also lost his 11 matches against Top-five players, with Ferrer now making that a dozen.

The match was the first time that two Spaniards (not including Nadal) have made the semis of a Masters 1000 event over the past half-decade (Ferrero and Tommy Robredo, Cincinnati, 2006).

'I may not win the tournament, but for me it's very special to be again in the final here,' said Ferrer, the 2007 runner-up to Roger Federer when the year-end Masters Cup was played at the Chinese venue.

'I'll try to do my best for win tomorrow. I've never won a Master 1000, and is very important for me, for my tennis career.'

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