CINCINNATI (AFP) - World number three Roger Federer defeated eighth seeded Andy Murray 6-3, 7-5 to reach the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Masters on Friday.

Five-time Cincinnati champ Federer, who lost in the final last week in Toronto, next faces hard-hitting Canadian Milos Raonic who rolled over Italy's Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-0 earlier on Friday.