Federer crushes Thiem to set up Raonic rematch at Brisbane International

Fourth-seeded Raonic knocked off unseeded Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-4 while Federer, the top seed, shook off the effects of a lingering flu bug to down Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4. But the tall, 25-year-old Monaco-resident produced an inspired performance to subdue an otherwise off-colour Federer in front of a packed-crowd.

Australian Bernard Tomic moved into the Brisbane International semifinals on Friday at the Pat Rafter Arena, holding off second-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan for a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 victory.

The former world number one conceded only two points on serve in the first set and put enormous pressure on Dimitrov, who cracked when serving at 4-5 to hand Federer the opener in 35 minutes.

It was a boost coming off a troubled end to 2015, when Raonic missed the last three weeks with a back problem, having missed the French Open earlier in the season with a foot injury, parted company with Ljubicic and finished out of the top 10.

“At the same time, with the difficulties I’ve had previous year, it’s maybe a good way for me to show the other guys I will face going into Melbourne that I’ve got my stuff back together and I can play some good tennis again”.

Meanwhile, Swiss maestro Roger Federer reached his third successive Brisbane International final when he crushed Dominic Thiem in a lopsided semi-final.

“I’d like to congratulate Milos on a great start”, the 34-year-old said.

“Just a little bit the adductor”, the Canadian explained.

“If I had known I would made the finals five days ago, I would have been unbelievably happy”.

The first major of the tennis season, the Australian Open, begins on January 18.

“The good thing is the off-season was great”.

Missing a regulation forehand victor down the line, Federer gave up a break-point and Raonic captured the decisive break in the eighth game.

After dropping the opening set, Dimitrov broke for a 5-3 lead in the second set.

Thiem beat third-seeded Marin Cilic 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4. Will Federer get the win once more? And in truth, it was Federer who let the chance slip, twice making backhand errors-though a timely 145 ace also helped the Canadian cause.

The win came nearly 12 months to the day after Nishikori thumped Tomic 6-0, 6-4 at the same stage of last year’s Brisbane tournament, and nearly certainly assures Tomic a top 16 seeding for the Australian Open.

But the new and improved versions seem to be on track this summer to declare themselves a grand slam force in 2016 – if Kyrgios’ Hopman Cup heroics and Tomic’s semi-final effort at the Brisbane International are anything to go by.

After the men’s semifinals on Saturday, the women’s final will feature two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka against No. 4-seeded Angelique Kerber, who beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 6-3.