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Djokovic, Nadal into semis at China Open

Xinhua, October 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both reached semifinals at the China Open on Friday, but they followed different paths in respective quarterfinals.

Five-time China Open winner Djokovic did not have to play his best level before blitzing sixth seed John Isner from the United States 6-2, 6-2 in just 52 minutes.

While former China Open winner Rafael Nadal recovered from a set down to defeat another American Jack Sock 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 for his first hard-court semifinal of the year.

"This year I lost a lot of matches when I had an advantage. So having the chance to win a match when I start losing first one is important for me," the third seeded Nadal said.

Djokovic, who is looking for his record sixth title in Beijing, improved to a perfect 27-0 at the China Open and 8-2 against Isner in their head-to-head.

The Serb shall play Spain's fourth seed David Ferrer, who made short work of Lu Yen-Hsun 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.

Nadal will be in the semifinals taking on Italian Fabio Fognini, who beat Nadal several times this season.

"I lost to him in the US Open, I lost to him in Rio, and I lost to him in Barcelona this year, and I won in the final of Hamburg, so he's a great player. If I am able to play my best tomorrow, I am going to have my chances. If not, the match is going to be tough. It's simple. Sport is simple," the 2005 China Open winner added.

Fognini overcame the second set slump to send Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas packing, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.

In women's quarterfinals, fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland blazed past German Angelique Kerber 6-1, 6-4 to reach semifinals.

It's one of the closest rivalries in women's tennis - going into their quarterfinal clash in the Chinese capital they were a dead even 5-5 head-to-head, and Kerber had actually won their last two. But in their 11th career meeting, it was Radwanska who called the shots.

Coming up next for the Pole will be Spanish rising star Garbine Muguruza, who defeated American qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-1, 7-5.

In the other women's singles semifinal, Serbia's sixth seed Ana Ivanovic will take on Swiss Timea Bacsinszky. Endi