The Argentine was down two sets against Federer when he in the third set turned the game around to win three straight sets and by that effort won the tournament.
"This was without doubt one of the best moments, one of the best memories of my career and it is a tournament that I will never forget. In the final with Federer, and turning the match around, was just incredible and that it will always stay in my mind," he said.
He said China had impressed him on many levels, but "the magnitude" of the main Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai, had left a lasting impression on him.
"Shanghai is a spectacular city, with an old part and a totally new part where there is some really big buildings and infrastructure. The cultural customs are very different to ours, so that was one of the things that made the biggest impression on me," said Nalbandian, who described the Great Wall of China as "something incredible".