Verdasco reaches Brisbane semifinals

Jan 8, 2009 - 2:51 PM BRISBANE, Australia (Ticker) -- Fernando Verdasco overcame a slow start to reach the Brisbane International semifinals on Thursday.

The third-seeded Spaniard battled from set down to claim a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Frenchman Florent Serra at the $485,000 hardcourt event.

After letting the first set get away via a service break in the ninth game, Verdasco woke up and needed just 26 minutes to brush aside Serra in the second en route to the win.

"In the second set I think I played much better - I didn't miss my returns, I put all the balls in and I started to hit the balls harder with more spin and he started to feel the pressure," said Verdasco, the world No. 15.

Another unseeded Frenchman awaits Verdasco in the semis as Paul-Henri Mathieu moved into the round of four with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Japan's Kei Nishikori.

The quarterfinal round wraps on Friday with No. 2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga going against seventh seed Richard Gasquet in an all-French battle, and No. 4 Robin Soderling of Sweden taking on eighth-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek.

First prize is $77,2000.