TENNIS in DEPTH.

Marion Bartoli will be one of the combatants in Sunday’s women’s final at the $4.5 million BNP Paribas Open. The 15th-seeded Bartoli blew past 23rd-seeded Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-1, 6-3 in Friday’s quarterfinal action on the hardcourts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The French slugger prevailed in 1 hour, 25 minutes by ripping 10 aces and piling up five service breaks against the capable Wickmayer. The 26-year-old world No. 17 Bartoli will appear in her 12th career WTA final, seeking a sixth championship. She’ll perform in her first final since 2009, a year in which she captured a pair of titles in a trio of finales. For the fashion conscious fans it will be interesting to see if Bartoli and Sharapova wear the same dress, should Masha make the final.

The 2007 Wimbledon finalist Bartoli will meet the Caroline Wozniacki-Maria Sharapova victor in the title match. Wozniacki is the current world No. 1, while the 16th-seeded Sharapova is a former holder of the women’s top ranking. The former U.S. Open runner-up Wozniacki was last year’s Indian Wells runner- up to Serbian star Jelena Jankovic. The three-time major champion Sharapova titled here in the California desert back in 2006.

The 2011 Indian Wells champ will collect $700,000.

Bookmark It

Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic secured a place in the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open following a straight-sets victory over Richard Gasquet. The Serbian was once again on top form at Indian Wells, surging to a 6-2 6-4 victory to set up a last-four showdown with either Roger Federer or Swiss counterpart Stanislas Warwinka. The one hour 35 minute victory also extends Djokovic’s perfect record this season to 16-0. But he didn’t have it all his own way, twice battling back from early service breaks by Gasquet in each set to seal the win on the showpiece stadium court. Djokovic came from 0-3 down in the second set and capitalised on a rising tally of unforced errors by his opponent to book his place in the last four of the elite ATP Masters 1000 event. ”It’s been the best period of my tennis career definitely the last three months, winning a grand slam, the Davis Cup and playing really well here on the court at Indian Wells,” a delighted Djokovic said courtside.

Bookmark It

Top seed Caroline Wozniacki advanced to the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday when Victoria Azarenka retired with a hip injury. The world number one broke the Azarenka serve in game two was 3-0 up in the first set when the eighth seed from Belarus signalled she could not continue with their quarter-final at Indian Wells.

Wozniacki felt for her opponent, saying: “Victoria is one of my best friends on the tour and to see her in pain was not nice, for sure. ”I would have liked to win it in another way, but I’m through to the semi-finals and happy to be there.”

Wozniacki will play Maria Sharapova in the last four after the 2006 champion battled to a three-set victory over China’s Peng Shuai. Sharapova, seeded 16, looked to be cruising into her first semi-final of the season when she moved 6-2 2-0 ahead but produced three double faults to allow Peng back into the match before prevailing 6-2 5-7 6-3. ”My level dropped in the second set so it was important to stay tough out there,” said the Russian, who hit 15 more errors than her opponent.

“The match wasn’t over until the last point so I just hung in there. I have nothing but great memories from this court – it has been a few years since I won here but I’d love to have that feeling again.”

Bookmark It

Venus Williams has pulled out of next week’s Sony Ericsson Open in Miami with an abdominal injury. The 30-year-old world number eight has only played three matches in 2011 and is set to drop out of the top 10. Williams picked up the injury during January’s Australian Open and managed just seven points before retiring against Andrea Petkovic in round three. Serena Williams will miss Miami as she recovers from a blood clot, while Kim Clijsters is also doubtful.

The world number two from Belgium, who defeated Venus Williams in last year’s Miami final, withdrew from this week’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells with a nagging shoulder injury. Venus, who missed much of the latter stages of 2010 with a knee injury, was undefeated in three successive appearances in Miami in 1998, 1999 and 2001.

“I am very sorry to not be playing in the Sony Ericsson Open this year,” said the American, who lives 90 minutes north of Key Biscayne in Palm Beach Gardens and considers the tournament her home event. “It is one of my favourite tournaments on the circuit, especially because it is so close to my home in South Florida. I look forward to returning to the tour soon.”

Bookmark It

Rafael Nadal had to battle from a set down against big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic to secure himself a semi-final date with Juan Martin del Potro at the BNP Paribas Open. Karlovic, who missed much of last year through injury, clinched the opening break of serve of the match in game 11 en route to taking the first set 7-5 but the Spaniard showed why he is world number one by responding brilliantly.

The 24-year-old stormed back to take the second set 6-1 before Karlovic also found another gear in the third set and forced a tie-break, which Nadal edged to take the match 5-7 6-1 7-6 (9/7). Nadal, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury since the Australian Open, withstood 23 aces from the world number 239. Karlovic saved two match points in the tie-break but sent a return wide on Nadal’s third opportunity, much to the two-time champion’s relief.

“You lose a set against Karlovic, and you are under pressure the rest of the games of the match,” he said. “I think I played a fantastic second set, returning better than ever. “In the third, I didn’t have chances. His serve was unstoppable. In the tie-break I was really nervous. “I think I returned fantastic in the tie-break, but I didn’t put one first serve on court, so I was really nervous. “For sure, it is a very important victory for me. Being in the semi-finals another time here after one month outside competition is fantastic news for me.”

Del Potro earlier progressed without hitting a ball as 25th seed Tommy Robredo had to withdraw before the match after straining his left adductor muscle during Wednesday’s fourth-round win over Sam Querrey. “After the match I knew that if something strange happens maybe I could play, but if not, for sure I will not play,” the Spaniard said. “We did an MRI [on Wednesday night], and we saw the results. Obviously the doctor here says not to play. “We have been delaying it as much as possible because we were contacting our doctors in Spain to see what they feel about, and now the decision is done. “Everyone is saying the same, so I am out of here and I am out of Miami, as well.”

Bookmark It

Yanina Wickmayer overpowered Shahar Peer on Wednesday evening to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open and return to the Top 20.

The two held tightly to their service games early, neither coming close to being broken in the first five games; the No.23-seeded Wickmayer cracked the match open in the sixth game with a break at 15 and rode that wave until she was up, 63 51. Peer, the No.10 seed, won two games in a row to close to 63 53 but Wickmayer was too powerful on the return and broke again for a 63 63 win. “I woke up this morning and felt really good,” Wickmayer said. “I had a good practice and when I came out today I felt really good and powerful out there.”

Wickmayer is projected to return to the Top 20 on Monday’s rankings. She spent 50 career weeks in the Top 20 during the 2009 and 2010 seasons but fell out in October 2010 and has been hovering between No.22 and No.26 ever since. She peaked at No.12 in the world for three weeks last spring.

Next up for Wickmayer is No.15 seed Marion Bartoli, who beat No.19 seed Ana Ivanovic earlier on Wednesday. Bartoli leads Wickmayer in their head-to-head series, 2-0.

Bookmark It

Richard Gasquet needed one hour and 45 minutes to knock out World No. 8 and returning finalist Andy Roddick, 6-3, 7-6(5). Roddick staged a late comeback after falling behind a set and a break, getting back on serve at 4-all in the second set and earning three set points in the 12th game. Gasquet held to force a tie-break, and clinched the victory with a backhand winner off of Roddick’s serve. “I was playing incredible to [lead] 6-4, 4-2. I had double break point, but I didn’t [convert],” said Gasquet. “After, I fought a lot; he played more aggressive, and it was tough for me to finish the match. I am really happy with the backhand return.”

Roddick, who was looking to reach the quarter-finals for a seventh time in Indian Wells, said: “I think he outplayed me from the first ball. He was obviously very confident… I tried to force it and be more aggressive in the second, but when you play that way, it starts coming in bunches. You win in bunches and you lose in bunches. So it’s a little bit inconsistent. I think it caught up to me a little bit in the tie-breaker.”

Gasquet, a former World No. 7, is through to the quarter-finals for the first time at the BNP Paribas Open and was excited about the prospect of playing the in-form Djokovic. “I played with him in practice one week ago,” he said. “He played unbelievable, too. He’s a favorite of the match, for sure. I’m confident I can play a great match. I think I can play well in a big match against him. I feel confident, so I have nothing to lose. This is the best way to play a good match.”

Bookmark It

Marion Bartoli defeated past champion Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 7-6(4) on Wednesday afternoon in Indian Wells to reach the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals. The players exchanged service breaks in the first three games, setting the tone for match that would feature a combined 13 breaks. Bartoli went on a five-game run to go up a set and a break, but Ivanovic continued to battle back. She got back on serve four different times in the second set before Bartoli finally closed out the two-hour, seven-minute victory in the tie-break. Bartoli is through a tour-level semi-final for a third time this season, but will be looking to reach her first final since 2009 when she faces the winner between Shahar Peer and Yanina Wickmayer.

With Ivanovic’s loss, Maria Sharapova is the only past Indian Wells champion remaining in the draw. The Russian plays unseeded Peng Shuai in her quarter-final match Thursday.

Bookmark It