Verdasco, Mathieu gain Brisbane semis

BRISBANE, Australia, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Third-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain and unseeded Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu advanced Thursday to the semifinals of Australia's Brisbane International.

Verdasco came from behind to top Florent Serra of France, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, and will next play Mathieu, who eliminated Kei Nishikori of Japan, 6-3, 6-4.

Other quarterfinal matches will be played Friday.

Second-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga meets countryman Richard Gasquet and the No. 4 seed, Swede Robin Soderling, takes on No. 8 Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic.