Halep, Osaka reach Indian Wells semi-finals

INDIAN WELLS, California: World No 1 Simona Halep punched her ticket to the Indian Wells semi-finals with a 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win over Croatia’s Petra Martic on Wednesday.

Halep, of Romania, needed two hours and 23 minutes to put Martic away under taxing conditions as strong winds swirled around the main stadium court.“It was difficult conditions to play in today because of the wind,” she said. “It was tough to play, because the ball was really moving.

“But I just tried everything. I tried also to push a little bit the ball and then to hit it. I tried to mix it up. Was not easy at all. For both of us it was difficult.”Halep moves on to the semi-finals where she will face Japan’s Naomi Osaka who beat fifth-seeded Karolina Pliskova 6-2, 6-3.

Halep is guaranteed to hold onto her No. 1 ranking at the end of this event after world number two Caroline Wozniacki was eliminated on Tuesday.

Halep blasted two aces and broke Martic’s serve four times.“I just fought and that’s maybe why I won because I refuse to lose,” Halep said.Halep won the final five games of the third set after being broken once and falling behind 3-1 early.

The turning point in the third set came for Halep after she won a challenge in the eighth game with Martic holding serve. On the very next point Martic hit a forehand wide as Halep took the game and a 5-3 set lead.

Halep then served for the match, winning five of the final six points after the challenge. In the evening session, world No 44 Osaka broke Pliskova’s serve six times in her 78-minute upset on the main stadium court.Pliskova, who reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in January, smashed five aces but made six double faults.