Nadal reaches Japan Open semis

TOKYO: Defending champion Rafael Nadal fought off a spirited challenge from Colombia's Santiago Giraldo to reach the semi-finals of the Japan Open on Friday.

The former world number one, playing his first ATP tournament since losing in the US Open final last month, struggled to break Giraldo's serve in the first set and needed a tie-break to set him up for a 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 win.

The 25-year-old Spaniard missed a couple of break points in the ninth game as Giraldo forced the first set into a tie-breaker which Nadal eventually won.

Giraldo fell two games behind in the second set taking only one point, but rallied in the third to break the Spaniard's serve and make it 1-2.

Nadal took the following game, knocking the Colombian's resolve as he marched to a 6-3 second set win.

On Saturday Nadal will take on American number one Mardy Fish after the fourth seed defeated Bernard Tomic of Australia 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-1.(AFP)