Djokovic beats Berdych, Monfils stuns Raonic to make semi-finals in Toronto

The world number one, seeking to win the competition also known as the Toronto Masters for a fourth time, beat Berdych 7-6 6-4 in a match which lasted a little more than two hours.

The decisive moment in the second set came in the third game when Berdych double-faulted at 40-15. The Czech appeared frustrated and soon after Djokovic had clinched the decisive break.

The Serbian admitted he was lucky to advance after saving seven of eight break points.

"Bit fortunate I must say," he said in an on-court interview.

"My serve just wasn't right today. I just completely lost my rhythm, and he was taking over control of my second serve, attacking it.

"On a quick surface like this you need a good serve. Today it wasn't to be but I won in straight sets. I must be pleased with the way I hung in there. That's all."

The Serbian will play Gael Monfils for a place in the final after the Frenchman ended the hopes of home hope Milos Raonic in Friday's final quarter-final tie.

Monfils, the 10th seed, defeated fourth seed Raonic 6-4 6-4 in an hour and 12 minutes at the Aviva Centre.

Earlier, second seed Stan Wawrinka produced a dominant win over Kevin Anderson, winning 6-1 6-3.

Wawrinka, in his third consecutive Rogers Cup quarter-final, raced through the first set in just 30 minutes and although the u nseeded South African put up more of a fight in the second set, he was broken in the eighth game, allowing Wawrinka to take a 5-3 lead and serve out for the match.

''It was a really good match,'' Wawrinka told atpworldtour.com. ''I started really well from the first game. It showed me that I was ready, aggressive (and) moving really well. It's one of the best matches I have played this year, I think.

"I was calm. Serving really good. Mixing a lot. I was reading the game well, good in defence and found a way to come back and attack."

The Swiss will face Kei Nishikori in the last four after the third seed ended the challenge of Grigor Dimitrov.

Japan's Nishikori took the first set 6-3, but Dimitrov, the world number 40, hit back to win the second 6-3 and force the decider.

Nishikori broke twice in the final set and eased into a 5-1 lead before serving out to love to seal the win.

10-Gael Monfils (France) beat 4-Milos Raonic (Canada) 6-4 6-4

1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat 5-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 7-6(6) 6-4

3-Kei Nishikori (Japan) beat Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) 6-3 3-6 6-2

2-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) beat Kevin Anderson (South Africa) 6-1 6-3