Raonic downs Nadal; Cornet in title round

 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.