Murray sets up final with comeback king Ferrer

Andy Murray of Britain returns a shot against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland during their third round match at the 2011 Shanghai Rolex Masters tournament at the Qizhong Tennis Center in Shanghai on October 13, 2011. Murray won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. AFP FILE PHOTO

SHANGHAI – In-form Andy Murray is just one win away from a third straight title after crushing Japan’s Kei Nishikori to seal a place in the Shanghai Masters final where he will face comeback king David Ferrer.

The British second seed and defending champion was overwhelming favourite going into the clash Saturday against 47th-ranked Nishikori and showed his superior class, coasting to a 6-3, 6-0 win under lights at the Qi Zhong stadium.

Earlier, Ferrer battled back from a set down for the third consecutive match to beat Feliciano Lopez 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-3 in an all-Spanish semi-final.

World number four Murray, who will replace Roger Federer as number three if he wins Sunday’s final, broke twice in the first set, winning 100 percent of points on his first serve.

In the second set the 24-year-old Briton, coming into the tie on a 13-match winning streak, including titles in Bangkok and Tokyo, broke in the second game and demolished his opponent in the second set.

Despite his defeat 21-year-old Nishikori will become on Monday the highest-ranked Japanese male player ever after his run in Shanghai. He is projected to move up to around number 32.