Badosa to meet Sakkari in semifinals

Paula Badosa extended her Indian Wells record to 10-0 after beating Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the event on Thursday.

The 2021 champion jumped to a quick 3-1 lead and never looked back.

“I think a little bit the key was to serve well, as well, to attack her second serve,” Badosa said.

“I’ve played her three times, and I always was doing the same mistakes. I didn’t want to do it for a fourth time in a row.

“I wanted to dominate with my forehand. Maybe not to let her a lot to open me the court. At the beginning maybe I was hitting a little bit more harder in the middle and then when I have my opportunity to move her.

“When she was moving me, try to put always one ball more was important as well.”

Badosa will meet Greek Maria Sakkari who won 7-5, 6-4 over Elena Rybakina.

“I think I had a rough start,” Sakkari said.

“I was a little bit nervous. But then I just had faith in my game. I knew that if I could break her back, I would get back into the match. Making a lot of balls after being 4-1 down gave me a good chance to come back into the match.

“I see that I’m actually very calm and very confident that it’s only a break. Okay, if someone serves lights out, it’s too good.

“I still have the first set, two more sets to go. That doesn’t really matter. I just accepted the fact I had a bad start, just tried to change things.”