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Raonic downs Nadal; Cornet in title round
Agencies
Last Updated IST

 Defending champion Milos Raonic beat former world number one Rafa Nadal in three sets on Friday to reach the Brisbane International semifinals.

The big-serving Canadian overcame the Spaniard 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and set up a last-four clash with seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov.

Returning from a wrist injury, Nadal took the first set but momentum swung at 3-3 in the second when Raonic claimed four straight games. Raonic capitalised on an early break in the decider and served out to book a semifinal against Dimitrov who beat Austrian Dominic Thiem 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Stan Wawrinka prevailed over Kyle Edmund 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-4 in another quarterfinal. He will meet Kei Nishikori who won 6-1, 6-1 against local favourite Jordan Thompson.

Djokovic in final

Novak Djokovic saved five match points against world number 42 Fernando Verdasco on Friday to reach the Qatar Open final. Djokovic won 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-3.

Cornet in summit round

Unseeded Frenchwoman Alize Cornet reached the final of the Brisbane International when Spain's Garbine Muguruza withdrew while trailing 1-4. Alize will face Karolina Pliskova, who beat Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4.

In the women’s doubles, India’s Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands of US beat Su-Wei Hsieh and Laura Siegemund 6-4, 6-3 to enter final.

Meanwhile, Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh outlasted Julia Goerges to set up a final against diminutive American Lauren Davis in the WTA Auckland Classic.

Konjuh rallied to beat 28-year-old Goerges  6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
In the other semifinal Davis was leading Jelena Ostapenko 4-6, 6-4, 4-1 when the Latvian retired.

Siniakova progresses

Unseeded Czech  Katerina Siniakova defeated Britain's world number 10 Johanna Konta 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 to secure a place in the WTA Shenzhen Open final.

Zverev wins

Highly rated teenager Alexander Zverev continued his impressive build-up for the Australian Open with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Dan Evans at the Hopman Cup.

Zverev's win squared the tie, after Briton Heather Watson earlier opened her account for the week with a 6-2, 7-6 (3) win over Andrea Petkovic.

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(Published 07 January 2017, 00:30 IST)