World number one Simona Halep has reached the quarter-finals of Indian Wells with great difficulty. The 26-year-old Romanian beat Croatian Petra Martic in three sets.
Halep won after 2 hours 23 minutes with 6:4,6:7 (5), 6:3 and now meets the winner between Karolina Pliskova and Naomi Osaka.
In extremely windy conditions, Halep and Martic played a first-class game. Martic improved after the first set, moved better and even scored a sensation at the end, when she led 3:1 in the decisive round. Halep didn’t get up and turned her first match point.
“She plays a difficult game, mixes a lot with topspin and slice,”Halep paid her opponent a lot of respect.”The outside conditions were critical, you often don’t stand well for the ball.”
Regardless of the tournament’s outcome, Halep will remain at the top of the world rankings after Indian Wells. Martic also has a reason to celebrate: she will move into the top 40 of the world for the first time on Monday.
Here the single tableau of the ladies in Indian Wells