Venus reaches semifinals at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Mar 16 (AP): Venus Williams defeated Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open, where she first broke out as a 16-year-old qualifier in 1997.

Williams has never reached the final of the desert tournament and to do she'll have to get by 20-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, who has yet to drop a set in four matches at Indian Wells.

At 37, Williams is the oldest player in the draw. She made the quarterfinals in her tournament debut in 1997 and notched her first win over a top-10 player before losing to eventual champion Lindsay Davenport.

Williams took 71 minutes to put away Suarez Navarro for the fourth straight time on Thursday. Playing in swirling winds, Suarez Navarro committed 29 unforced errors to 17 for Williams.

"I don't care what's happening on court, I just try to execute my game," Williams said.

Kasatkina needed just 58 minutes to dispatch former No. 1 Angelique Kerber 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

The Russian has knocked out US Open champion Sloane Stephens and No. 2-ranked Caroline Wozniacki along the way.

In the men's quarterfinals, Borna Coric of Croatia upset No. 7 seed Kevin Anderson 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) for his first win in four tries against the South African.