Roger Federer brushed aside world number one Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday and register his fourth victory of the year over his Spanish rival.

The Swiss world number two beat Nadal in the finals of the Australian Open and Miami Masters and in the last 16 at Indian Wells, and never looked likely of losing to his long-time rival, firing 10 aces as he cruised to victory.

Federer, the only man who can still stop Nadal ending the year as number one, took an hour and 12 minutes to claim his sixth title of the year with a clinical performance.