Tomiwa Babalola
Top seed Serena Williams has progressed to the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells after beating world number 42, Sloane Stephens 6-7 (7-3) 6-2 6-2.
The 33-year old American lost the first set of the game but fought back to claim her victory against compatriot, meanwhile Maria Sharapova failed to make it to the next stage of the tourney
"I'm still trying to find my bearings," said Williams, 33, who has ended a 14-year boycott of the event. "I have been off a little this week."
After the game, Williams revealed that it has been hard for her in the championship after returning to the championship 14 years she last featured here.
Sharapova, admitted she's not been playing the best of tennis that was why she got beaten 3-6 6-3 6-2 by defending champion Flavia Pennetta.
"Maybe I wasn't playing my best tennis but I was competitive enough," said Sharapova, who made 42 unforced errors and 11 double faults.
"I just wasn't able to step up in the key moments."
The American had refused to play at Indian Wells after being subjected to racial abuse from the crowd in 2001.
She next faces Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky, who beat Elina Svitolina in three sets.
In other fourth-round matches, Romanian third seed Simona Halep beat Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-4 6-4, and Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko upset Canadian sixth seed Eugenie Bouchard 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-4.
"I felt heavy out there," said Bouchard. "My legs were sluggish from the beginning of the match.
"I tried to get myself going, but it was kind of a struggle throughout the whole match." BBC
Top seed Serena Williams has progressed to the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells after beating world number 42, Sloane Stephens 6-7 (7-3) 6-2 6-2.
"I'm still trying to find my bearings," said Williams, 33, who has ended a 14-year boycott of the event. "I have been off a little this week."
After the game, Williams revealed that it has been hard for her in the championship after returning to the championship 14 years she last featured here.
Sharapova, admitted she's not been playing the best of tennis that was why she got beaten 3-6 6-3 6-2 by defending champion Flavia Pennetta.
"Maybe I wasn't playing my best tennis but I was competitive enough," said Sharapova, who made 42 unforced errors and 11 double faults.
"I just wasn't able to step up in the key moments."
The American had refused to play at Indian Wells after being subjected to racial abuse from the crowd in 2001.
She next faces Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky, who beat Elina Svitolina in three sets.
In other fourth-round matches, Romanian third seed Simona Halep beat Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-4 6-4, and Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko upset Canadian sixth seed Eugenie Bouchard 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-4.
"I felt heavy out there," said Bouchard. "My legs were sluggish from the beginning of the match.
"I tried to get myself going, but it was kind of a struggle throughout the whole match." BBC
Serena Williams into BNP Paribas Open last eight
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Reviewed by Unknown
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17:13:00
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