Serena: Radwanska knows how to play in big stadiums, big games

CALIFORNIA: A dominant Serena Williams proved far too strong for defending champion Simona Halep as the American eased into the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open with a 6-4 6-3 victory yesterday.

The World No 1 has yet to drop a set in four matches, and Williams made a tricky opponent on paper look completely over-matched in the quarter- final encounter.

The 21-time grand slam champion blasted 28 winners to Halep’s nine. She also recorded seven aces, aptly closing out the match with an unreturnable serve down the middle.

Williams also broke the Romanian’s serve four times and improved her head-to-head record to 7-1 against her fifthseeded opponent.

Third seed Agnieska Radwanska stands between Williams and a spot in the final, with the World No 1 expecting a tough challenge from the Pole.

“(Radwanska) knows how to play in big stadiums and big matches, big games,” Williams told reporters.

“Obviously she does everything so well, including run- ning, and this is a good surface for her because it’s a slow surface. I think I expect there will be a lot of long rallies.”

Radwanska booked her semi-final berth when she fought back from 5-2 down in the second set on the way to a 6-2 7-6 (7-3) victory over World No 9 Petra Kvitova.

The 27-year-old, who was a runner-up at the event two years ago, raced into a 4-0 lead in the tiebreak before wrapping up victory after a little more than an hour-and-a-half.

“I am just so happy to be in the semi-finals here,” Radwanska, who will rise to number two in the next world rankings following the win, said.

“I have nothing to lose, I will have a good rest and be ready for the semis.” – Reuters