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Home  » Sports » Madrid Open: Djokovic sets up semi-final showdown with Nishikori

Madrid Open: Djokovic sets up semi-final showdown with Nishikori

May 07, 2016 09:52 IST
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Novak Djokovic

IMAGE: Novak Djokovic of Serbia shakes hands at the net after his straight set victory against Milos Raonic of Canada in their quarter final round match during the Madrid Open tennis tournament. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images.

World No 1 Novak Djokovic remained on course for his fifth title of the season after defeating 11th seed Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Masters on Saturday.

The Serbian recorded a 6-3, 6-4 win over Raonic to set up a semi-final encounter against Japanese rival Kei Nishikori.

With the win, Djokovic also extended his unbeaten streak over the Canadian to seven matches.

Rafael Nadal will face defending champion Andy Murray in the semi-finals after extending his perfect start to the European clay-court season to 13 matches with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 win over Joao Sousa.

Murray continued his serene passage into the last four by sweeping past eighth seed Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-2.

Nadal is looking to break Argentine legend Guillermo Vilas's record for clay-court tournament wins with his 50th and a fifth title in Madrid this weekend.

However, to do so he will have to avenge Murray's only ever victory over the 14-time Grand Slam champion on clay in last year's Madrid final.

On the other hand, world number seven Simona Halep advanced to her first final of the season in dominant style with a 6-2, 6-0 thrashing of Australian Sam Stosur in the women's singles event.

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