Berdych advances ATP-WTA Portugal Open, Raonic eliminated

Top seed Czech Republic tennis star Tomas Berdych has advanced to the semi-finals of the ATP-WTA Portugal Open after defeating qualifier Leonardo Mayer 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, second seed Milos Raonic has been eliminated from his quarter-final by Argentina's Carlos Berlocq 7-5, 6-4, reports Sport 24.

Berdych, who only took a wild card here to get more clay matches before appearing in the French Open in three weeks time, will now face Portugal's Gastao Elias or Romanian Victor Hanescu on Saturday.

Canadian Raonic disappointed on clay again, bundled out in just under 90 minutes by Berlocq.

Number 62 ranked Berlocq next plays 98th-ranked Daniel Gimeno-Traver, after the Spaniard upset third-seeded compatriot Marcel Granollers 6-1, 6-2.

In the women's event, Svetlana Kuznetsova reached her first final in more than three years on Friday with a 6-3, 6-1 win over fellow Russian Elena Vesnina to set up a clash with Carla Suarez Navarro.

The Russian seventh-seed, who owns Grand Slam titles from 2004 in Paris and 2009 in New York, will take on the Spanish top seed competing in her third straight final here but without a career trophy of any kind.

Suarez Navarro overcame Romanian qualifier Irina Begu 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 in one and three-quarter hours.

The 28-year-old Kuznetsova last played a final in February, 2011 in Dubai, where she lost to Caroline Wozniacki. The Russian's last trophy was earned at 2010 San Diego.

She began last year ranked 71 and has now fought back to 29th on the WTA list.