Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic is the first man to reach the semi-finals of the Brisbane International.

The fourth seed secured a 6-4 6-4 quarter-final win over France’s Lucas Pouille on Pat Rafter Arena to move into the last four.

Raonic, the runner-up in Brisbane last year to Roger Federer, will meet the winner of Friday’s quarter-final between Australia’s Bernard Tomic and Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

Defeating the world No.78 Pouille was relatively comfortable for Raonic, who won 93 per cent of his first service points in the opening set.

Pouille did break Raonic in the fourth game of the second set but only after he’d been broken himself.

Once Raonic broke Pouille’s serve again in the seventh game, he was unheaded on his way to victory.