Beijing: Rafael Nadal came from behind against hard-hitting Jack Sock on Friday to reach the China Open semi-finals and set up a rematch with his shock US Open conqueror Fabio Fognini.
The Spanish great, scrapping to recover his form after a tough year, was frequently outgunned by the American's howitzer forehand but he dug deep to see off the world number 30, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
"Yes, it was an important victory for me. Obviously I finished the match playing better than what I started. It's important because I came back," Nadal said.
"This year I lost a lot of matches when I had an advantage. So to have the chance to win a match when I start losing this one, so it's important for me, too.
"It's an important thing, important fact that I finished the match playing better than what I started. That is a positive thing for my game."
Nadal had not reached a hardcourt semi-final for more than a year, but he will now play Fognini, who stunned him last month in the US Open third round, for a place in the title match.
"He's a great player. When you play against a great player, especially if you don't play to your best, your chances are lower," Nadal said of the Italian, who beat Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.
"If I am able to play my best tomorrow... I am going to have my chances. If not, it's going to be tough. It's simple. Sport is simple."
On a cold, bright day, Nadal paid for a slow start when he was broken in the first game. Sock's big forehand kept Nadal under pressure throughout the set, which he ultimately yielded with a double-fault.
But the 14-time Grand Slam-winner hit back by breaking first-up in the second set, and he gave a fist-pump of relief and satisfaction when he eventually levelled the match 6-4.
They slugged it out to 3-3 in the third set until Sock blinked first, handing Nadal three break points, and for once the American's forehand misfired as he shanked a routine shot high into the stands.
And it was another miscued forehand which settled the quarter-final as Sock, serving to stay in it, hit one long to hand victory to Nadal on his first match point.
Meanwhile in the women's last eight, Agnieszka Radwanska beat Angelique Kerber 6-1, 6-4, and Timea Backsinszky bounced back from an opening-set 'bagel' to beat Sara Errani 0-6, 6-3, 7-5.
In the other men's quarter-finals, unbeaten five-time champion Novak Djokovic is playing America's John Isner later, while Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer takes on Taiwanese wildcard Lu Yen-hsun.
