Two-time grand slam champion Angelique Kerber has said that she will have to ‘battle’ against Belinda Bencic in their upcoming semi-final match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
The eighth seed progressed to the last four of the tournament for the third time in her career after knocking out Venus Williams 7-6(3), 6-3. Williams entered the court with strapping on her right knee and it appearance as if the American wasn’t moving as freely as she has previously done. Nevertheless, Kerber stuck to her game plan to secure victory. Extending her head-to-head record to 6-3 against the 38-year-old.
“I think she played really tricky, but in a good way. It was really hard for me to play my game, also with changing the rhythm and everything.” Kerber said during her press conference.
“I was really trying to, especially in the first set, find my rhythm and play my tennis, but it was not so easy. To play against Venus, it’s always tough.’
“I was expecting a tough match. I’m happy that I won the first set and then could move in and playing a little bit better also my tennis then in the second set.”
Booking her place in the semi-finals of a Premier Mandatory event for the first time since the 2016 Miami Open, Kerber will next take on Swiss No.1 Bencic. A player she has defeated three times on the tour within the past 15 months. Despite that record, the German is under no illusion of the threat she faces. Bencic is currently on a 10-match winning streak and has won her last six meetings against top 10 opposition.
“Bencic is playing really flat and she’s going for it. She has a lot of confidence, especially from the last weeks. It will be not an easy match. It will be a battle.” Said Kerber.
“But I’m looking forward. These are the matches I’m always looking forward to have, especially in big tournaments. I know that I have to also play aggressive and go for it.”
Given the fact Friday’s meeting with be the seventh clash between the two, Kerber is hoping that her familiarity with Bencic’s game will help her clinch another win. Something that is easier said than done.
“When you play matches against someone a few times, you already know how she is playing or how the game plan looks like. And when you’re practicing with her, it’s the same. I mean, you get used to the speed, to the technique, to everything. You feel the ball.” She explained.
“We practice together a lot. Maybe that helped me, also, to play good matches against her in the last matches.“ She added.
Indian Wells is Kerber’s second tournament semi-final of the season after Doha. She is yet to feature in a final since defeating Serena Williams to win the Wimbledon title last July.
