Cibulkova loses to Li again but Federer through
Print Edition
ROGER Federer charged into the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Thursday with a straight-sets win over South African Kevin Anderson while top women’s seed Li Na of China also reached the last four.
Li won her rematch with Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova to join Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta in the semis.
In her first meeting with Cibulkova since the Australian Open final in January, Li once again proved too strong for her younger opponent, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in a little over 2-1/2 hours.
Pennetta booked her place in the last four by beating American Sloane Stephens 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in a seesawing match played in gusting winds.
In a tournament that has been packed with surprises and high-profile casualties, the 32-year-old Li has been a model of consistency, ferociously battling through each round.
The Chinese top seed, in the absence of world No. 1 Serena Williams, has struggled with her serve all week and committed eight double faults against Cibulkova, four in the opening set and four more in the third when the pressure was on.
The Slovak also made eight doubles while the pair combined for more than 100 unforced errors in a match that was longer and much tighter than their last meeting in Melbourne.
Li got the decisive break late in the third set and then served out for victory to stay on course for her first title at one of the biggest events outside the grand slams.
“Here is different than Australia. Of course score should be different,” said Li.
“I think today she played more aggressive. I was feeling if I try to go back like a little bit she was trying to step in to hit the ball.
“Also I was feeling in the second set I think I dropped down a little bit and gave her more chance. She can get a lot of winners.”
Federer, meanwhile, succeeded where others had failed by blunting the serve of the towering 2.13-meter Anderson to win 7-5, 6-1.
The Swiss master faced only one break point in the entire match and reeled off seven games on the trot to clinch the opening set and race to a 5-0 lead in the second.
California desert
His reward for winning was a semifinal clash with Ukrainian giantkiller Alexandr Dolgopolov, who continued his fairytale run in the Californian desert by defeating big-serving Canadian Milos 6-3, 6-4.
“It was big to win the set and then to go on to break early in the second,” Federer said. “Then (getting a) double break was like a bonus. From then on I was home basically.”
Pennetta looked to be heading for the exit when she blew her first chance to win the match then fell behind in the deciding third set.
The 32-year-old was two points from victory when serving for the match in the second set when the wind suddenly started to blow a gale and her game started to unravel.
Stephens, 20, broke her serve and won six games in a row to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the third when Pennetta staged her own comeback, winning six of the last seven games to wrap up an extraordinary victory.
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