Simona Halep to meet Serena Williams in Indian Wells semi-final
Thursday 19 March 2015 07:42, UK
Simona Halep came storming back from an opening set loss to beat Carla Suarez Navarro 5-7 6-1 6-1 and advance to her second straight Indian Wells semi-final where she will meet Serena Williams.
The Romanian ralled to level the first set after losing the opening four games, but Suarez Navarro, who knocked out Britain's Heather Watson in the previous round, eventually clinched it with a huge forehand winner.
I am more confident and feeling the ball better. I am feeling better because I am dominating the matches in the end.
Third-seed Halep needed only 63 more minutes to take her revenge and finished her opponent off with an unstoppable ace.
"It is nice to be in the semi-finals two years in a row," the 23-year-old said. "Last year I had a good tournament and this year I can say I am playing better than last year.
"I am more confident and feeling the ball better. I am feeling better because I am dominating the matches in the end."
World No 1 Williams lies in wait following her hard-fought victory over the in-form Timea Bacsinszky.
Williams may have needed only an hour and 25 minutes to defeat the Swiss 7-5 6-3 but she was given a tough time by a player who had previously won 15 matches in a row, claiming the Monterrey Open title in the process.
The American is making a celebrated return to Indian Wells after being booed in the 2001 final. The hostile reception from the crowd resulted in Williams' 14-year boycott of the event but she now says she is happy to be back.
"I'm just happy to still be here playing in front of you guys," Williams said during her on-court interview, after finishing with 23 winners and seven aces. "I'm just happy to be here."
Williams leads Halep in their head-to-head series (4-1) but the loss was not that long ago. Halep beat her 6-0 6-2 at the season-ending WTA Championships in Singapore last October.
Williams got her revenge just a couple of days later, winning in straight sets in the final 6-3 6-0.
The semi-final line-up will be completed on Thursday when big-hitting Sabine Lisicki takes on Flavia Pennetta while Jelena Jankovic faces surprise package Lesia Tsurenko from Ukraine.
