MONTREAL,  August 15

Novak Djokovic had to fight off an upset bid from qualifier Ernests Gulbis, defeating the Latvian 5-7, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1 on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Montreal Masters.

But Rafael Nadal, like Djokovic a former champion at the event, was unable to escape an on-form Kei Nishikori as the fourth seed sent out the Spaniard 6-2, 6-4 thanks in part to six double-faults from Rafael Nadal.

The red-hot Nishikori is riding a wave of momentum from his hardcourt title last week in Washington and will next face second seed Andy Murray who beat French 10th-seeded holder Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-4 and took revenge for a semi-final loss a year ago in Canada.

Nishikori won his first match against Nadal after seven losses, taking just under 90 minutes to advance in his best Canadian showing. Seventh seed Nadal was playing in Canada for the first time since winning his third title here in 2013 and he now stands 28-7 in the country.

Djokovic found himself down a set and a break against Gulbis, whose career best was a Roland Garros semi-final in 2014, has since gone into a funk in 2015. But he forced his world No 1 to save two match points in the second-set tiebreaker of a thriller lasting two and a half hours.

Djokovic levelled at a set apiece and re-established order as he ran away with the third set for the win. Djokovic is bidding for his fourth Canadian title and the win puts him into a semi-final against unseeded Jeremy Chardy, who booked his first career appearance in the semi-final of an ATP Masters 1000 event, struggling for three hours to defeat John Isner 6-7 (9/11), 7-6 (15/13), 7-6 (7/4).

Elsewhere, world No 1 Serena Williams continued her march towards her fourth Toronto title with a 6-4, 6-3 dismantling of Italy’s Roberta Vinci in the quarter-finals of the WTA Rogers Cup. She moved on to face 18-year-old Belinda Bencic, who beat fifth seeded Ana Ivanovic in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, in the semi-finals at the hardcourt warm-up event for the US Open, the year’s final Grand Slam tournament that begins August 31.

Romanian second seed Simona Halep advanced to the semi-finals by roaring back to defeat Polish sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 0-6, 6-3, 6-1. Halep next will face Italy’s Sara Errani, who defeated Ukraine qualifier Lesia Tsurenko 6-4, 6-4 in another semi-final.