Raonic books semi showdown with Del Potro

Milos Raonic, coming off an injury-riddled 2017, booked a semifinal clash with comeback king Juan Martin Del Potro at the ATP Tour's Indian Wells Masters.

The 27-year-old Raonic defeated American Sam Querrey 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 on Friday to pick up just his fourth match win of the season and is seeking to capture his ninth career ATP Tour title.

He'll be up against the eighth-ranked player in the world in Argentina's Del Potro, who beat German Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the day's other quarterfinal.

"I am very happy I was able to put it together today," Raonic said. "I'm in the semis. I am happy with that. I know I can play better."

Former US Open champ Del Potro stepped up his bid for a second straight tournament victory with his over two hour quarterfinal win.

Del Potro, who won a title earlier this month in Acapulco, Mexico, fended off a stern challenge from Kohlschreiber.

Del Potro hit five aces, had no double faults and won 75 percent of his first-serve points against world No 37 Kohlschreiber.

Osaka, Kasatkina in final

Japan's Naomi Osaka made short work of a subdued world number one Simona Halep on Friday, the unseeded 20-year-old racing to a 6-3, 6-0 semifinal victory to set up a surprise BNP Paribas Open final against Daria Kasatkina.

The Russian, also 20, continued her sparkling run of form earlier in the evening when she outlasted American veteran Venus Williams in a three-set 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 slugfest lasting almost three hours.