BEIJING, Rafa Nadal moved within reach of his first hardcourt title in almost two years by extracting a modicum of revenge on new Italian foe Fabio Fognini with a 7-5 6-3 win in their China Open semi-final on Saturday.
The flamboyant Fognini became the first man to beat Nadal from two sets to love down at a grand slam when he took out the power-hitting Spaniard in the third round of the U.S. Open last month.