Cilic reaches Adelaide semifinals

Former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic beat American Tommy Paul 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 on Thursday to reach the semifinals of the second Adelaide International.

The fourth-seeded Croatian has had four wins in five matches this year and also reached the semifinals of the first Adelaide International last week before losing to Russia’s Karen Khachanov. Cilic served 14 aces to Paul’s eight and won 84% of first serve points.

Paul also had been in solid form coming into Thursday’s match, winning 12 of his last 14 matches. Paul beat compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the first round this week and reached the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 7-6(6) win over Benjamin Bonzi.

In the women’s draw, third-seeded Coco Gauff beat Ana Konjuh of Croatia 6-3, 6-4 to reach the last four.

At the Sydney Tennis Classic, fourth seeded Anett Kontaveit of Estonia took the first set of her quarterfinal against Ons Jabeur of Tunisia before Jabeur was forced to retire with a lower back injury.

The pair had been almost an hour on court before Kontaveit, who lost twice to Jabeur last year, took the first set 6-4. Jabeur had begun to serve in the second set when she retired.

“I really hope that Ons is going to be fine for next week and that it’s nothing too serious,” Kontaveit said.

“The first set was really competitive and we’ve had some tough matches before but she’s always come on top. I was really happy to get the set and that I was playing the way I was playing.”

Kontaveit will now face third-seeded Barbora Krejcikova who beat France’s Caroline Garcia 6-0, 6-2.

On the men’s side, top-seeded Aslan Karatsev beat fifth-seeded Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

Former No. 1 Andy Murray, playing on a wild card, advanced to the semifinals when eighth-seeded David Goffin retired at the start of the second set. Murray took the first set 6-2 in 50 minutes.