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Angelique Kerber stops red-hot Belinda Bencic to reach Indian Wells final
Kerber, ranked eighth in the world, won the last three games to see off Bencic, who was coming off her first WTA title in four years at Dubai.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber ended Belinda Bencic’s 12-match WTA winning streak on Friday, beating the resurgent Swiss 6-4, 6-2 to set up an Indian Wells title clash with Bianca Andreescu.
Kerber, ranked eighth in the world, won the last three games to see off Bencic, who was coming off her first WTA title in four years at Dubai.
In Sunday’s final Kerber will face 18-year-old Canadian sensation Andreescu, who beat sixth-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Nadal vs Federer
Rafael Nadal withstood the challenge of Russian Karen Khachanov to set up a blockbuster semi-final with Roger Federer at the ATP Indian Wells Masters Friday despite a flare-up of right knee trouble that required mid-match treatment.
World number two Nadal, the highest seed left in the draw after the early ouster of No. 1 Novak Djokovic, dominated both tiebreakers to beat the towering Russian 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/2).
He booked a 39th career meeting with Federer, a five-time champion at Indian Wells who breezed past 67th-ranked Hubert Hurkacz of Poland 6-4, 6-4.
“Hopefully I will be ready for it,” said Nadal, who recovered an early break in the opening set and powered through the tiebreaker, but called for the trainer to have supportive tape applied below his right knee three games into the second.
“Of course my goal and my idea is to be ready for tomorrow,” he said.
