China Open: Rafael Nadal reaches semi-final in Beijing

Rafael Nadal battled back from the brink of defeat to reach the semi-final of the China Open in Beijing.

The Spaniard was a set and 4-1 down but beat Italian Fabio Fognini 2-6 6-4 6-1.
Nadal, 27, who won the US Open last month, will return to the world number one ranking for the first time since July 2011 if he reaches the final.

He will play either John Isner or Tomas Berdych in the last four, while current world number one Novak Djokovic takes on Sam Querrey in his quarter-final.

A return to the number one ranking was looking unlikely for Nadal, who lost the first set and was just a point away from trailing 5-1 in the second.
But the Mallorca-born left-hander - who looked to be carrying a knee injury - rediscovered his form, relinquishing just one more game to the world number 19 on his way into the final four.
On the possibility of replacing Djokovic as world number one, he said: "It's something that doesn't create more pressure for me.

"It's something that already happened in the past. If that happens again, it will be good, it will be special for me."
"It is not the moment to think about number one, it is the moment to think about Berdych or Isner."
Meanwhile, in the women's tournament, world number one Serena Williams powered past sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-1 6-4.
The Dane offered brief resistance to break Williams's serve in the sixth game of the second set before the 32-year-old American went on the offensive in a 38-shot rally in the seventh.
Williams, winner of 17 Grand Slam singles titles, extinguished any hope of a comeback to book a semi-final meeting with either Angelique Kerber or Agnieszka Radwanska, who play later on Friday.
There was disappointment for home favourite Li Na, who was beaten 4-6 6-2 6-4 by 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
The Czech left-hander will face Serb Jelena Jankovic, a 6-7 6-4 6-4 winner over Lucie Safarova, in the last four.