BEIJING – Second seed Novak Djokovic overcame Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-3 1-6 6-1 in the quarter-finals of the China Open Friday to move within one victory of reclaiming the world number three ranking.

Andy Murray's withdrawal from next week's Shanghai Masters because of a wrist injury means Djokovic just has to reach the final of the $6.6 million Beijing tournament to move above the Briton in the rankings on October 19.

The 22-year-old Serbian moved comfortably enough through the first set against the fifth seed, but Verdasco stood his ground to save three break points in a marathon first game of the second set before evening up the match in 36 minutes.

Djokovic was clearly just conserving his energy and the decider was a romp for the U.S. Open semi-finalist, who claimed a comfortable victory with a simple angled volley at the net.

To reach his eighth tour final of the year, Djokovic will have to beat either Swede Robin Soderling or Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in Saturday's semi-finals at the Olympic tennis center.

Eighth seeded wildcard Marin Cilic beat fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-4 6-4 in the first match on center court to set up a last four meeting with top seed Rafa Nadal or Marat Safin, who meet later Friday.

Svetlana Kuznetsova, who became the fifth player to secure her place at the women's season-ending championship in Doha last week, reached the semi-finals with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Pavlyuchenkova grabbed a second win in a week over world number three Venus Williams Monday but was no match for the sixth seed in the first meeting between the two Russians.

Kuznetsova, the 2006 China Open champion, will meet local giantkiller Peng Shuai or compatriot Nadia Petrova, who knocked second seed Serena Williams out Thursday, for a place in her fourth final in Beijing.