Kerber & Bencic reach SFs of Indian Wells Masters

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 8 and winner of 3 grand slam singles titles including Wimbledon Angelique Kerber, 31, and World No 23 Belinda Bencic, 21, Switzerland, have reached the semi-finals of Indian Wells Masters, a WTA premier event played on hard courts at California, USA.

Bencic, who had stunned World No 1 Naomi Osaka, 21, Japan, the reigning US Open and Australian Open champion, in the Round of 16, upset World No 5 Karolina Pliskova, 26, Czech Republic, in three-sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in 2 hrs 16 minutes in the quarter-finals on March 14, 2019, night. Both the players fired 7 Aces each in the match.

Bencic broke Pliskova’s service 4 times while the latter broker her service twice. Pliskova committed 4 double faults in the match to 3 by Bencic. Bencic’s winning percentage both on her first and second serve ( 78% & 50%) was much better than that of Pliskova ( 68% & 41 %). Pliskova won 4 games in a row in gthe match to 3 by Bencic.

Kerber entered the semi-finals beating World No 36 Venus Williams, 38, winner of 7 Grand Slam singles titles including 5 Wimbledon titles, 7-6, 6-3 in 1 hr 36 minutes in the quarter-finals on March 15, 2019. Kerber broke Venus’ service thrice in the match while the latter broke her service twice. Kerber won 3 games in a row during the match to 2 by Venus.

Kerber will face Bencic in the second semi-finals on March 16, 2019, while World No 6 Elina Svitolina, 24, Ukraine, will clash with fast rising teenage sensation and World No 60 Bianca Andreescu, 18, Canada, in the first semi-finals the same day.