Roger Federer beats Gilles Simon to win Shanghai Masters

Federer won his 23rd Masters series title to move within four of Rafael Nadal, who leads the way on 27

Roger Federer won his first Shanghai Masters title with a straight-sets victory over Gilles Simon.

The Swiss world number three let out a huge roar after unseeded Frenchman Simon hit a forehand into the net to give him a 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-2) victory.

"To win the biggest tournament in Asia is a treat," said Federer, who lost in the 2010 final to Briton Andy Murray.

"I got lucky to come through the first round after saving five match points. It's been a dream week."

Federer, 33, won the opening set with his only backhand winner down the line.

Simon led 6-5 in the second set and had two set points but two unforced errors allowed Federer a way back and the 17-time Grand Slam winner took advantage.

Victory moves Federer up to second in the world rankings, behind Novak Djokovic

For 29-year-old Simon, who went off court for a medical time-out after the first set, it was a second defeat in a Masters final, having lost in Madrid to Murray in 2008.

He matched Federer for much of the match from the baseline but the Swiss dominated when he came to the net, winning 24 of 35 points.

In both tie-breaks Federer played aggressively and he set up four championship points with a blistering cross-court forehand return.

Meanwhile, his countryman Stanislas Wawrinka, 29, has become the fourth player to qualify for the end-of-season ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Wawrinka reached the semi-finals on his debut in the eight-man tournament last year.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Federer are the other three to have already qualified for the event at the O2 Arena from 9-16 November.

Kei Nishikori, US Open winner Marin Cilic, Tomas Berdych and Milos Raonic occupy the remaining four places in the standings, although David Ferrer, Murray and Grigor Dimitrov could yet qualify, with three weeks remaining for players to accumulate points.