BEIJING (AFP) - Croatia's Marin Cilic dealt Rafael Nadal his heaviest defeat in nearly two years on Saturday, earning a 6-1, 6-3 victory at the China Open to set up a final with Novak Djokovic.

The eighth seed's surprise win in one hour, 22 minutes was the first loss in Beijing for the Spaniard, who as top seed had set a blistering pace all week.

"If you lose there lots of things you are doing wrong, mentally I probably wasn't there," said Nadal. "I had a chance to come back in the second set, but I didn't play well.

"It was very difficult for me, he served unbelievable, with winners almost all the time. I had a chance to come back and I didn't play very well. He gave me many chances to play but I was under pressure.

"I can do better next time -- I must," said the top seed at next week's Shanghai Masters.

Djokovic powered into Sunday's final after a 6-3, 6-3 win over Sweden's Robin Soderling, which also ensures he will claim the number three ATP ranking next week ahead of Andy Murray.

The Serb stands at 3-0 over Cilic, including a victory this season in Dubai.

"I've lost three times but this time I'm playing good," said Cilic. "If I can put in a performance like I did today, I have a shot."

On the women's side, Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova will try to improve a 1-2 record in Beijing finals when she plays against Polish 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska.

Kuznetsova, 2006 winner, overcame fellow Russian Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-3. Radwanska beat France's Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-3.

"If I play my best game I think I'm to be the favourite but you never know," said Kuznetsova.

Djokovic, the second seed, improved his record over French Open finalist Soderling to 4-0 and maintained pace as the top winner on the men's circuit with 62 victories in 2009.

Murray has not played on the ATP World Tour since the US Open, missing the Asian swing due to complications from a wrist injury.

"It was another great win," said Djokovic, who is 2-5 in finals so far in 2009. "I had to take my chances.

"But it's a final and it's unpredictable -- it's the last day of motivation. I hope I can win this title."

Nadal's defeat was the heaviest he has suffered since going down 6-0, 6-1 to Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the Chennai final in January, 2008.

The Spaniard stood a perfect 14-0 in the capital after winning the 2005 China Open and claiming the Olympic gold medal in 2008.

But Cilic, who lost just two points on serve in the first set, ripped through it with six aces and set up match points on two separate occasions in the eighth game of the second with untouchable serves.

The desperate Nadal saved them both, breaking to stay alive at 3-5 but Cilic broke back for the upset victory.

The loss was Nadal's ninth of the season against 58 wins and five titles.

Nadal was playing this week for the first time since the US Open due to an abdominal muscle pull.