Wimbledon semi-finalist Milos Raonic and 2013 US Open semi-finalist Richard Gasquet advanced to the last four of the ATP and WTA Washington Open with straight-set triumphs Friday.
Canadian second seed Raonic fired 16 aces and lost only nine service points in defeating American Steve Johnson 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, taking only 79 minutes to book his third semi-final of the season.
Raonic, seeking his sixth ATP title, lost the Rome semi-final to top-ranked Novak Djokovic and at Wimbledon to 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer.
Next up for Raonic is a first career meeting with 25-year-old US left-hander Donald Young, who outlasted South African seventh seed Kevin Anderson 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, to extend his best run in three years.
French sixth seed Gasquet ripped Japanese fourth seed Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-4 in only 59 minutes to reach the other semi-final, but he must wait until Saturday to learn his opponent.
Canada’s Vasek Pospisil and Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo had their quarter-final suspended by rain two points into the third set. Giraldo won the first set 7-6 (7/4) while Pospisil took the second set 6-3 and the first two points of the third set on his serve before play was halted.
