Halep, Osaka reach Indian Wells semifinals

INDIAN WELLS, Mar 15 (AFP): World No. 1 Simona Halep punched her ticket to the Indian Wells semi-finals with a 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win over Croatia's Petra Martic on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Halep improved to 18-1 on the season and is looking to win her second WTA Tour title of 2018. Halep, of Romania, needed two hours and 23 minutes to put Martic away under taxing conditions as strong winds swirled around the main stadium court.

"It was difficult conditions to play in today because of the wind," she said.

Halep moves on to the semi-finals where she will face Japan's Naomi Osaka who beat fifth-seeded Karolina Pliskova 6-2, 6-3.

In the evening session, world No. 44 Osaka broke Pliskova's serve six times in her 78-minute upset on the main stadium court.

"I returned the ball well," said Osaka. "She is one of the best servers on tour and I was able to break her quite a few times so I am really happy about that." Pliskova, who reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in January, smashed five aces but made six double faults.