Brisbane: Defending champion Milos Raonic beat former World No.1 Rafa Nadal in three sets to reach the Brisbane International tennis tournament semifinals here Friday.
The big-serving Canadian blasted 50 winners, including 23 aces, to overcome the Spaniard 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and set up a last four clash with seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian beat Austrian Dominic Thiem 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
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 well to close the match.
“It was a great match tonight (Friday) and I’m very happy with myself, how I competed against such a great player and competitor as Rafa,” Raonic said in a courtside interview.
Raonic fired down 19 more aces than Nadal. “That’s six games I got for myself without having to run too much, which is very generous of myself,” he added.
Nadal, returning to the tour this week after injury, struck 19 winners as he continued his preparations for this month’s Australian Open. “He was more aggressive than me… but I take the positive. It was a small difference,” said the Spaniard.
World No. 4 Stan Wawrinka survived some aggressive hitting from Briton Kyle Edmund before winning 6-7(2-7) 6-4, 6-4 in another quarterfinal. In an earlier last eight match Kei Nishikori thumped Jordan Thompson of Australia to set up a meeting with Wawrinka.
Reuters