Caroline Wozniacki beat Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-2 at the BNP Paribas Open to reach her sixth quarter final at Indian Wells.
Wozniacki won the Indian Wells title in 2020 at the age of 20. The Dane has become the third player with the most WTA-1000 quarter finals since the format was introduced in 2009 with 37 surpassing Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka.
Wozniacki earned two breaks in the second and sixth games and served for the first set at 5-1, but Kerber pulled both breaks back at 4-5. After a medical time-out due to a blister on her toe Wozniacki broke Kerber for the third time with a forehand to close out the first set 6-4.
Wozniacki opened up a 2-0 lead at the start of the second set when she broke Kerber for the fourth time. Kerber called for a medical time-out due to a lower back issue. Wozniacki broke for the second time on her first match point in the eighth game, when Kerber sent two backhands into the net.
“I don’t take anything for granted. I took a very long break. To be back here in this sport. I am just enjoying myself. I am just enjoying myself. I am thrilled I get another match”, said Wozniacki.
Wozniacki has claimed her 156th win at a WTA 1000 hard-court tournament, equalling Agnieszka Radwanska.
Wozniacki set up a quarter final match against Iga Swiatek, who cruised past world number 79 Yulia Putintseva 6-1 6-2 to reach her third consecutive quarter final at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Swiatek reeled off eight consecutive games from 1-1 to take control of match at 6-1 3-0 with four breaks. Both players traded breaks twice in the next four games, as Swiatek opened up a 5-2 lead. The Polish player served out the win on her first match point.
Swiatek is aiming to win her second WTA 1000 title of the season one month after claiming her title in Doha. She has not lost before the semifinal stage at a WTA 1000 tournament since Rome 2023.
“I want to keep my standards high no matter what’s going on, and I think this match was a test for my mental training that I did. I am happy with the way I was focused. I did not really care about what’s going on. I am prepared that many things can happen on court”, said Swiatek.
Swiatek will face Wozniacki for the second time in her career and for the first time since their first head-to-head match in Toronto 2019, when Swiatek beat Wozniacki 1-6 6-3 6-4.
“Obviously Swiatek is playing good tennis, playing powerfully. I practiced with her as well a few times after I have come back, during the US Open as well. I know how she plays, but it’s one thing knowing how she plays in a full match. I know that I have to play my best tennis to compete against her, and that’s what I hope to do”, said Wozniacki.
The winner of the match between Swiatek and Wozniacki will face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk or Anastasia Potapova.
Kostyuk beat Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova 6-4 6-1 to reach her first quarter final at Indian Wells and the first at WTA 1000 level. Kostyuk has become the first player from the Ukraine to reach the quarter finals at Indian Wells since Elina Svitolina in 2021. No Ukrainian player has ever reached the final at Indian Wells. Potapova ended Jasmine Paolini’s seven-match win streak with a scoreline of 7-5 0-6 6-3 to reach her second WTA 1000 quarter final.
