Novak Djokovic sees off Milos Raonic to stay on track for Golden Masters
Novak Djokovic kept his bid to complete the Golden Masters on track by ousting Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
The five-time Cincinnati runner-up first completed his rain-delayed third-round clash, dismissing Grigor Dimitrov 2-6 6-3 6-4, before overcoming Canadian Raonic 7-5 4-6 6-3.
Djokovic did not get off to a dream start and again looked like he might have to fight back from a set down when he lost his serve at 4-3.
But the Serbian clawed back to 5-5 and, when Raonic double faulted on break point, Djokovic was sure to take the opportunity to claim the first set.
Raonic seized the initiative in the second set, breaking his opponent for an early 2-1 lead, and eventually levelling the match after four set points.
He again raced to a 2-1 lead in the decider, but Djokovic was quick to break back and fought from 30-0 down in the final game to close out the match and reach the semi-finals of the only ATP Masters tournament he is yet to win.
Number two seed Roger Federer, also completing two matches in one day, held off Stan Wawrinka 6-7 (2/7) 7-6 (8/6) 6-2 to reach the last four, having earlier defeated Leonardo Mayer 6-1 7-6 (8/6).
In his quarter-final against compatriot Wawrinka, the Swiss lost the first-set tiebreak and Wawrinka very nearly took the second, before Federer resumed normal order after another rain break at the end of the third set.
Federer broke Wawrinka for the first time to lead 4-2 in the third set and saw out the match with a break to love after two hours and 19 minutes on court.
He will now face Germany's David Goffin, who overcame Juan Martin del Potro 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (7/4).
Earlier, Nick Kyrgios and Kevin Anderson lost their third-round matches, leaving Marin Cilic to make up the last four. The Croatian beat Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6 (9/7) 6-4 and will face 10th seed Djokovic on Saturday.
