Rafael Nadal has struggled against Grigor Dimitrov before breaking away for a three-set victory to advance to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters.

The world No.1 on Friday lost his first set of the week before winning 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-3.

Nadal his part to keep alive the prospect of a final with Roger Federer, due to play a later quarter-final against Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

The Spaniard beat London year-end candidate Dimotrov with six aces and a pair of service breaks to extend his winning streak to 15 matches. The win was his 10th over the Bulgarian and second in as many weeks after victory in Beijing.

The success pulls him level with Andre Agassi for sixth place on the Open Era career wins’ list with 870.

Nadal, who didn’t lose serve in his two-and-a-half-hour win, will face fourth seed Marin Cilic in the semi-finals. The Croatian beat Spain’s Albert Ramos Vinolas 6-3 6-4.

Cilic is close to a qualifying spot for next month’s ATP Finals and will take his last two opportunities to ensure he’s at the season wrap-up.

“I’m playing Basel and Paris,” he said of the event in Federer’s home town. “I like conditions also in Basel. It’s indoors and I won it there last year.

“So I’m going to play it no matter what here and play Paris and London.

“I’m very confident (of qualifying). Mathematically, there are obviously chances that I can be bumped out if I don’t win, for example, tomorrow.

“But overall, I’m playing well. The guys behind me haven’t performed as well in these last few weeks. So I’m quite confident that I’m going to be there.”