Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams slumped to a three-set defeat at the hands of Russian Elena Vesnina on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the WTA Indian Wells tournament
Indian Wells: Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams slumped to a three-set defeat at the hands of Russian Elena Vesnina on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the WTA Indian Wells tournament. Williams, runner-up to her sister Serena at the Australian Open in January, gave away too much ground with a lethargic start and Vesnina closed it out 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
“When I was up three-love in the first set she was missing some easy shots. She looked tired and slow on the court,” Vesnina said of Williams.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the semis, Vesnina will face France’s Kristina Mladenovic, a 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 winner over former world number one Caroline Wozniacki.
Wawrinka in semis too
World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka out-lasted rising star Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2) to reach the semi-finals for the first time. Wawrinka, the highest-ranked player left in the field after the early exits of World No. 1 Andy Murray and No. 2 Novak Djokovic, next faces Pablo Carreno Busta.