But, for the time being, the rankings and Nadal himself continue to rate Roger Federer as No 1.

When the latest men's tennis rankings were released yesterday, Federer retained his top spot, which he has held since February 2004.

But Nadal is only 300 points behind on 6,305, with a chance to claim the top spot after this week in Cincinnati.

For that to happen, Nadal would have to win and Federer would have to lose before the semi-finals.

The Spaniard has been ranked No 2 for a record 157 weeks while Federer has been at the pinnacle for 234 weeks.

'Every player wants to be No1,' Nadal said on Sunday, after defeating Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 6-2 in the Rogers Cup final.

'I have to be very happy if I am No 1 or No 2.

'Because if I am No 2, it's because in front of me there is an amazing player like Roger.'

The 22-year-old has been the better player lately, however.

He has won 29 straight matches since a second-round loss at the Rome Masters in May.

The streak includes victories over Federer in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon.

The victory on Sunday was the second Rogers Cup title for Nadal, who also won in 2005.

And it was his 30th career tournament title, making him the third youngest to reach that milestone after Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors.

Federer's second-round loss in the tournament to unseeded Gilles Simon last Wednesday has only increased talk of Nadal's ascension.

Federer, in Cincinnati to defend his title, shrugged off Nadal's seemingly unstoppable march towards his perch.

'I'm not focused on Rafa, he's on the other side of the draw. Of course he's been playing great and is on an unbelievable winning streak.

'There's always pressure, but I expect to win my matches and tournaments.

'I've had that four or five years. It's nothing new. It's only that No1 is in more danger than in the past.'

Addressing the crowd after the final, Kiefer said he expected Nadal to be the No 1 soon.

Kiefer, a 31-year-old German who has not won a tournament since 2000, had less success predicting Nadal's moves on the court.

The German made his task harder by committing 31 unforced errors, and his serve failed him at critical times.

He got only 47 per cent of his first serves in, and double-faulted five times, including consecutively during the sixth game of the second set when Nadal broke him.

ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE