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Azarenka storms past Pegula, becomes first player into Indian Wells semis

Victoria Azarenka remains to be lively in her quest to win the BNP Paribas Open for a 3rd time. The No.27 seed from Belarus charged previous Nineteenth-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday to achieve the semifinals. 

The previous World No.1 Azarenka, who was the Indian Wells champion in 2012 and 2016, took 1 and 34 minutes to finish the run of Pegula and attain the ultimate 4 of this occasion for the fourth time in her profession.

Notable quotes: “I believed it was a very good match,” Azarenka mentioned in her post-match press convention. “Very top quality from each gamers. Very constant by way of degree for me. I felt that I actually performed nicely within the essential moments. I felt like I stepped up so much to the event. That is what I am actually pleased with at the moment.

“I began going for my pictures from the start. I knew I’ve to use strain on her, and I’ll have the second the place I’ll have alternative. I believe to start with of the match we had a whole lot of nice rallies, a whole lot of factors the place I used to be like, ‘Oh, possibly I received this one,’ and she or he received me. I felt that I actually simply caught to being aggressive and being constant. I received my alternatives.”

Stat nook: Azarenka had 21 winners to 18 unforced errors within the match, whereas Pegula’s 27 winners had been outpaced by 30 unforced errors. General, Azarenka gained a sterling 81 % of her first-service factors, and she or he transformed 5 of her 13 break factors.

Earlier this 12 months, Pegula upset the two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka within the first spherical of this 12 months’s main occasion in Melbourne, which kicked off the American’s run to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Nevertheless, Azarenka avenged that loss on the grass courts in Berlin this summer season and now has gained the 2 of their previous three conferences.

For Azarenka, it was her thirty second match-win at Indian Wells. Solely two ladies have gained extra matches general at this match, Lindsay Davenport (47) and Maria Sharapova (38). Azarenka is tied with Caroline Wozniacki for third place.

Azarenka will now contest her third semifinal of 2021. She additionally reached that stage this 12 months at Doha (the place she withdrew previous to her semifinal towards Garbiñe Muguruza as a result of a again damage) and Berlin (the place she misplaced to eventual champion Liudmila Samsonova after she defeated Pegula).

Key moments: Azarenka took the lead for good within the fifth sport of the match, the place a big-hitting rally ended within the Belarusian’s favor, giving her triple-break level. Azarenka transformed the primary of these possibilities by forcing a netted error with a powerful backhand, giving her a 3-2 benefit.

Pegula used lovely backhands to stave off two set factors earlier than holding for 5-4, however Azarenka would convert her third set level within the subsequent sport with an unreturned serve. Pegula had three extra winners than Azarenka within the opening body, however the American additionally led in unforced errors by 14 to 10.

After an early change of breaks within the first two video games of the second set, Azarenka as soon as once more broke for 3-2, this time on her fifth break level of a vital 11-minute sport. Azarenka eased to 5-2 from there, the place she served for the match.

In that sport, Azarenka was compelled to stave off two break factors, however excellent serving at that essential juncture helped her grit out the sport and transfer into the Indian Wells semifinals as soon as once more.

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