INDIAN WELLS, California — Big-serving Milos Raonic fought back from a set down and saved three match points to upset Rafa Nadal 4-6, 7-6(10), 7-5 in a pulsating quarterfinal at the BNP Paribas Open Friday. The 24-year-old Canadian's first win over Nadal in six meetings earned him a place in Saturday's semifinals where he will face Roger Federer, who cruised through the last eight with a ruthless 6-4, 6-0 demolition of Czech Tomas Berdych. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will face fourth-seeded Scot Andy Murray in Saturday's other semi in a re-match of this year's Australian Open final, won by the Serb in four sets. “I feel obviously all sorts of good,” said sixth seed Raonic, who blasted 19 aces past Nadal before sealing victory in just under three hours. “There was a lot of up and down through that match, and all I could ask of myself was just keep competing and hope to find a way. I got fortunate a few times and it worked out.” Nadal, a three-time champion at Indian Wells, broke Raonic once to clinch the opening set in 37 minutes and had further break point opportunities in the first, fifth and ninth games of the second — all five of them saved by the Canadian. The set went to a nerve-jangling tiebreak where Nadal squandered three match points before Raonic, playing more aggressively, finally squared the match at his third attempt when the Spaniard netted a forehand. Both players saved further break points in the third set before Raonic broke Nadal in the 11th game when the Spaniard hit a backhand long and the Canadian advanced into the last four by comfortably holding in the 12th. Federer, bidding for a record fifth title at the ATP Masters 1000 event, broke Berdych once in the first set and three times in the second to advance after just 68 minutes on court at a sun-bathed Indian Wells Tennis Garden. “I was really able to put the pressure on Tomas from the baseline,” the Swiss world number two said after hitting 21 winners while improving his career record against the Czech to 13-6. Serena Williams withdrew before the start of her semifinal Friday due to a knee problem, cutting short her return to the event following a 14-year boycott. The decision put her opponent, Simona Halep, into the final against Jelena Jankovic, who beat Sabine Lisicki in three sets. In the other semifinal, Lisicki, who endured a three-set quarterfinal nailbiter Thursday, took the first set 6-3 before Jankovic stormed back, the Serb taking the remaining sets 6-3, 6-1. Cilic pulls out of Miami Reigning US Open champion Marin Cilic has withdrawn from next week's Miami ATP Masters with a right shoulder problem, the ATP Tour said Friday. The world No. 10 missed the first two months of the year, including the Australian Open, with the injury. He made his return at Indian Wells, where he lost his opening match to Argentine Juan Monaco 6-4, 6-4. — Agencies
