<p> Defending champion Milos Raonic beat former world number one Rafa Nadal in three sets on Friday to reach the Brisbane International semifinals.<br /><br /></p>.<p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Djokovic in final <br /><br />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.<br /><br />Cornet in summit round<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh outlasted Julia Goerges to set up a final against diminutive American Lauren Davis in the WTA Auckland Classic.<br /><br />Konjuh rallied to beat 28-year-old Goerges 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.<br />In the other semifinal Davis was leading Jelena Ostapenko 4-6, 6-4, 4-1 when the Latvian retired.<br /><br />Siniakova progresses<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Zverev wins<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /></p>
<p> Defending champion Milos Raonic beat former world number one Rafa Nadal in three sets on Friday to reach the Brisbane International semifinals.<br /><br /></p>.<p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Djokovic in final <br /><br />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.<br /><br />Cornet in summit round<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh outlasted Julia Goerges to set up a final against diminutive American Lauren Davis in the WTA Auckland Classic.<br /><br />Konjuh rallied to beat 28-year-old Goerges 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.<br />In the other semifinal Davis was leading Jelena Ostapenko 4-6, 6-4, 4-1 when the Latvian retired.<br /><br />Siniakova progresses<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Zverev wins<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /></p>