Kasatkina to face Venus Williams with world No 1 Simona Halep taking on Naomi Osaka in Friday's semi-finals
Friday 16 March 2018 17:23, UK
Daria Kasatkina crushed Angelique Kerber for the loss of just two games to reach the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open where she will face Venus Williams for a place in the final.
The 20-year-old Russian needed just 58 minutes to brush aside the German two-time Grand Slam champion.
Kasatkina, who has already knocked out US Open champion Sloane Stephens and world No 2 Caroline Wozniacki en route to the last eight hasn not dropped a set in four matches now.
"Maybe from the side or with the score it looks like it was simple, but of course it's not," Kasatkina said. "I knew that in one moment if I will lose focus just for a second, they will come back and then the big battle, five hours again, will start."
She will play Venus Williams in Friday's semi-final after the veteran American saw off Carla Suarez Navarro with a 6-3 6-2 victory that keeps her on course for a maiden final in the Calfornia desert.
37-year-old Williams is the oldest player in the draw, playing in a tournament where she announced herself to the tennis world as a 16-year-old qualifier more than 20 years ago where she reached the last eight and her performance drew the praise of Roger Federer who is also through to the last four.
"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."
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.
"I don't care what's happening on court, I just try to execute my game," Williams said. "You kind of hope for this kind of scoreline, but you never know if you're actually going to get it."
You can watch the ATP Masters 1000 from Indian Wells on Sky Sports Arena and via the red button from 7pm on Friday.
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