Rafael Nadal missed three match points and needed a medical time-out on Friday before losing to Jordan Thompson in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International.

After a year-long injury layoff, the 22-time major winner failed to convert a match point in the 10th game of the second set and two more in the tie-breaker before No. 55 Thompson rallied to win 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3.

Top seed Holger Rune had a 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) win over James Duckworth to move into a semi-final against Roman Safiullin, who beat Matteo Arnaldi 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka extended her winning streak in Australia to 14 matches with a 6-1, 6-4 win over fifth-seeded Daria Kasatkina on Friday night.

Victoria Azarenka, a two-time champion at the Australian Open, had a tougher run in the opening match of the day, needing two-and-a-half hours to advance 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 over former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Yuki in semi-final

India’s Yuki Bhambri and his Dutch partner Robin Haase on Friday entered the semi-finals beating Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6).

United Cup: Zverev puts Germany in semis

Sydney: Alexander Zverev led Germany into the semi-finals of the United Cup on Friday after winning his singles rubber against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas before partnering Laura Siegemund in the mixed doubles to clinch the decider.

World No. 8 Maria Sakkari had given Greece a 1-0 lead with a 6-0, 6-3 win over three-time grand slam champion Angelique Kerber before Zverev defeated Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4.

With the team score tied at 1-1, Zverev returned to the court soon after to play the mixed doubles decider, where the Greek pair of Petros Tsitsipas and Sakkari were beaten 6-3, 6-3.

"I was taking a back seat (playing) with Laura. I think we deserve to be in the semi-finals," Zverev said.

Zverev was aggressive in the singles, doing damage with his first serve and although Australian Open runner-up Tsitsipas hit 16 winners, his 24 unforced errors allowed Zverev to cruise past the world No. 6.

Zverev, who fell in the second round of last year's Australian Open following his comeback from an ankle injury, is hoping to progress further in the Grand Slam this year.

"Being healthy is the biggest thing for any athlete, the mindset this year is different," Zverev said.

Reuters