Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will face each for the 38th time after advancing Saturday to the Shanghai Masters Final.
Top-seeded Nadal defeated Marin Cilic of Croatia 7-5, 7-6 (3) in the first semifinal, and second-seeded Federer was stretched to three sets before posting a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina.
Nadal, who won a tour-best sixth title of the season at the China Open last week, improved his current winning streak to 16 matches. The Spaniard, who has 16 Grand Slam men's singles trophies, won the French and US Open titles this season.
Federer, looking for his sixth title this year, won the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year to increase his Grand Slam men's singles record to 19 titles.
Nadal holds a 23-14 winning record over Federer, but Federer has won their last four meetings, including all three this season. Nadal has won 14 of 23 finals against Federer.
"I'm not sure what the stat is because most of them, half of them, maybe, were in finals and that's why the rivalry is so special," Federer said. "I enjoy playing against him even if the head-to-head is not in my favor. He's one of the guys who's made me a better player. I don't want to thank him for that, but it made me go back and rework my game."
Del Potro went for an MRI on Friday night after falling and hurting his left wrist but showed little sign of the injury bothering him against Federer. The Argentine said his wrist was hurting after the match.
Nadal, who was a finalist here in 2009, has now beaten Cilic in five of their six matches. Nadal hadn't lost his serve in 32 service games but fourth-seeded Cilic broke him twice, in the sixth and 10th games of the second set.