INDIAN WELLS, United States (AFP) – Resurgent Swiss Belinda Bencic toppled another top-10 player Thursday, downing fifth-ranked Karolina Pliskova to set up an Indian Wells WTA semis against Angelique Kerber.
Bencic, a former world No. 7 whose ranking slumped as injuries stalled her career, showed no sign of a let-down after her fourth-round victory over world No. 1and defending champion Naomi Osaka, out-lasted Czech Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
She stretched her WTA match winning streak to 12 – six of those wins coming against top-10 players with No. 8 Kerber coming up.
Germany’s Kerber defeated seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
Pliskova launched her season with a 12th career title in Brisbane, and shocked Serena Williams to reach the Australian Open semi-
finals.
After dropping the first set she came back strong in the second, winning the first four games as she forced a decisive third set, although not before Bencic saved four set points.
Close games marked the start of the third, with Pliskova fighting off four break points in a game that went to eight deuces to hold for 2-2.
But Bencic held her next two service games with authority and broke for a 5-3 lead, finally sealing the match with a serve that was too much for Pliskova.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Kerber reached the Indian Wells semi-finals for the third time with her win over Williams in a battle of former world number ones.
Kerber dominated the tiebreaker to grab a hard-fought first set that featured four breaks of serve.
She had to fight for the lone break of the second set as Williams saved four break points to hold for 2-2 and saved four more in the sixth game before Kerber finally converted one for a 4-2 lead that would stand up the rest of the way.
Williams never got her big serve going, producing just one ace. The 38-year-old veteran did her best to catch Kerber out with crafty changes of pace, but the German was able to adjust.
THIEM ADVANCES
World number seven Dominic Thiem reached an ATP Indian Wells Masters semi-final showdown with Milos Raonic without hitting a ball Thursday as injured Gael Monfils withdrew.
