Paula Badosa beats Kerber to make Indian Wells semis

On Thursday, Paula Badosa of Spain advanced to the Indian Wells semifinals after upsetting German Angelique Kerber 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 26 minutes. In the semifinals, Spain will face Tunisian Ons Jabeur.

Following an early exchange of breaks in the first set, both ladies breezed through their service games. Kerber, serving at 4-5, 30-30, dropped back-to-back games to surrender the set. At 30-30, Kerber made her second double-fault of the set, giving Badosa her second break point, which she took when Kerber sent a regulation backhand long, her 12th unforced error of the match.

In the second set, Badosa applied more pressure to Kerber's service games. Badosa broke twice to take a 5-2 lead, but the three-time major champion dug in her heels to hold to 3-5 and then broke Badosa to come back on serve at 4-5.

Badosa, on the other hand, maintained his composure to win the set on a service break. Badosa earned her third match point following a pair of holds and celebrated by crouching to the ground after Kerber fired a forehand long to end the match.

Since Conchita Martnez in 2003, Badosa is the first Spanish tennis player to reach the semifinals of the so-called "fifth Grand Slam."

"I am very excited. It is my second semifinal of a Masters 1000. The first was in Madrid (2021), which was a very special place. But here I am winning very good games," he said. "Madrid could have been, be in quotation marks, a coincidence. But now it is no longer and I am happy to have shown that," she added.

"This means a lot to me. It's incredible,"Badosa, who could not believe what she had accomplished, remarked on the court as soon as the game ended.

She also stated that the second set was "extremely difficult" and that she needed to "keep battling" to defeat the German.

Badosa, who is ranked number 27 in the WTA, has had a fantastic 2021 and is currently in the semifinals of the Californian desert tournament.

Pulse check 🇪🇸 ❤️‍🔥 🙌@paulabadosa defeats Angelique Kerber 6-4 7-5 and becomes the first Spanish woman since 2003 to reach the @BNPPARIBASOPEN final four.#BNPPO21 pic.twitter.com/9JAKriINEK

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) October 15, 2021

Badosa faced a very high-level opponent in today's match: Angelique Kerber, the tournament's tenth seed, world number 15 and three-time Grand Slam winner.

"I had never played against her. She is a very deceptive player and it is difficult to adapt because she has a very different game from the others. And I am very happy because I have been able to adapt very well,"Badosa stated.

The opening set was close throughout, but Badosa was able to capitalise on his opponent's errors at the crucial moments to win 6-4.

Kerber, 33, stepped up her game in the second set, but Badosa answered calmly and saved two match points at 5-2 to advance to the semifinals.

The German, on the other hand, rose to the occasion, winning the next three games to even the match (5-5).

Badosa confessed that she became "extremely nervous" at that point.

"My head has played a trick on me. Seeing me one step away from the semifinals, I know that the WTA Finals is also at stake ...", he clarified.

The Spaniard stated that she knew Kerber would appear at the appropriate time on the level. "She's a champion, and champions play their best at the limit," he explained. "However, with 5-5, I was able to play really well again," she noted, "and I am extremely delighted to have changed the chip so rapidly."

When it appeared that the match would go to a "tie break," Badosa managed to break the German's serve and go to the Indian Wells semifinals with a score of 6-5 in her favour.

Badosa was effusive in his praise for Ons Jabeur, his semifinal opponent on Saturday.

"I've always said that Ons has a tremendous talent. For me, she is one of the most talented on the circuit, not to mention the most talented," she said of the world number 14 and Indian Wells twelfth favorite. "The year he's doing does not surprise me at all. It's going to be a very tough game," he stated

Badosa has been dealing with some shoulder issues, but he stressed today that he is simply "laden" and that it is not something that "prevents" him from playing. "Nothing is going to make me change my mind (in the semifinals). Continue to look after him and put up the best effort possible, "He slammed the door.