Raonic, Pospisil book first all-Canada ATP final

WASHINGTON, Aug 3 (AFP): Milos Raonic, coming off his first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon, and double-duty winner Vasek Pospisil will meet Sunday in the ATP's first-ever all-Canadian final at the Washington Open.
Seventh-ranked Raonic, seeking his sixth career title and first since last year at Bangkok, fired 15 aces Saturday in downing US left-hander Donald Young 6-4, 7-5 to reach his 11th ATP final, his first since falling to Juan Martin Del Potro last September at Tokyo.
"I have a much better understanding of what I need to bring out myself," Raonic said. "Mentally I know what I need to do to compete better in the important stages of matches."
Pospisil, who ousted Czech Tomas Berdych in the third round, rallied to dispatch French sixth seed Richard Gasquet 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 7-5 for his first win in five ATP semi-final appearances-and his second victory of the day.
Only five hours earlier, Pospisil finished the last set of a 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-4 quarter-final win over Colombian Santiago Giraldo that was halted Friday by rain.
"I was a little tired at the end," said Pospisil. "I came up with some good shots. I didn't give up when I was down and tired and I came back."
In the companion WTA event, Japan's Kurumi Nara outlasted New Zealand's Marina Erakovic 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the final against two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who ousted fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 6-2.
Pospisil, who won a Wimbledon doubles crown alongside American Jack Sock, lost his only ATP match against Raonic in a Montreal semi-final last year.