Former World Number 1 Victoria Azarenka overcame a second set loss to edge past 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur 6-1 4-6 6-1.
Azarenka won eight of her previous nine head-to-head matches against Stosur but the Australian player their last clash in Carlsbad in 2013.
Stosur saved four break points in a seven-minute opening game but Azarenka reeled off six consecutive games to clinch the first set in 39 minutes. Azarenka converted three of her 12 break point chances in the opening set.
Stosur broke serve to love in the first game of the second set. The Australian player saved two break points and held her next service games to clinch the second set on the second set point with a lob.
Azarenka broke serve in the second game of the decider, taking advantage of Azarenka’s unforced errors. She got a double break and closed out the match on the second match point. Azarenka hit 25 winners to 24 unforced errors, compared to Stosur’s 32 winners to 37 unforced errors. Azarenka is back to the quarter finals at Indian Wells for the first time since 2013.
Azarenka will face Magdalena Rybarikova who leading 6-2 2-0 against last year’s US Open finalist Roberta Vinci, when the Italian player was forced to retire from the match due to a left ankle injury.
“I am in a different stage in my career, where I can just play for fun, fight hard and try to do the best I can”, said Azarenka.
Russian rising star Daria Kasatkina beat Timea Bacsinszky 6-4 6-2 to set up a quarter final against Karolina Pliskova who edged past Johanna Konta 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-3.
