INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — The seniors are rolling into the semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open.
Roger Federer and Venus Williams won in straight sets on Thursday, extending the 36-year-old Swiss superstar’s bid for a record sixth title in the desert and the 37-year-old American’s attempt to win her first.
Federer defeated Chung Hyeon 7-5, 6-1 and equal his career-best start of 16-0 from 2006.
Williams beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-2 in the event where she first broke out as a 16-year-old qualifier in 1997.
Federer won the Australian Open in January and has regained the No. 1 ranking. Williams returned to the top 10 last year after being runner-up at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
“I’m just happy that I’m able to keep up a good level. Same for Venus,” Federer said. “Really happy for her that she’s really consistently easily making all these semis and finals and winning tournaments.”
With Rod Laver and Pete Sampras looking on, Federer fired 12 aces and was broken just once.
Next up for Federer is Borna Coric of Croatia, who upset No. 7 seed Kevin Anderson 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) for his first win in four tries against the South African.
Williams has never reached the final of the desert tournament and to do she’ll have to get by 20-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, who has yet to drop a set in four matches at Indian Wells.
At 37, Williams is the oldest player in the draw. She made the quarterfinals in her tournament debut in 1997 and notched her first win over a top-10 player before losing to eventual champion Lindsay Davenport.
Williams took 71 minutes to put away Suarez Navarro for the fourth straight time on Thursday. Playing in swirling winds, Suarez Navarro committed 29 unforced errors to 17 for Williams.
Kasatkina needed just 58 minutes to dispatch former No. 1 Angelique Kerber 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
The Russian has knocked out U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens and No. 2-ranked Caroline Wozniacki along the way.
