Wozniaki Dispatches Kerber To Attain Indian Wells Quarterfinals

Wozniacki dispatches Kerber 6-4, 6-2 to succeed in Indian Wells quarterfinal

Two mothers, grand slam champions, and former world #1s battled within the desert for a coveted spot within the quarterfinals. This tantalizing fourth spherical encounter on the WTA 1000 occasion in Indian Wells, pitted lefty in opposition to righty and German versus Dane.

Caroline Wozniacki returned to competitors final summer season after retiring in 2020 down beneath two years after successful her lone grand slam on the Australian Open. Throughout the 2023 summer season hardcourt swing, she accepted two wild playing cards at WTA 1000 occasions in Montreal and Cincinnati. 

On the last slam of the season in Flushing Meadows, NY, she reached the fourth spherical dropping to eventual champion, Coco Gauff. The thirty-three-year-old mom of two with thirty profession titles together with Indian Wells in 2011, is at the moment ranked #204 having attained the #1 rating in October 2010.   

Angelique Kerber a three-time grand slam winner, introduced her being pregnant earlier than the beginning of the 2022 US Open having performed her final match at Wimbledon earlier that summer season. After 18 months and the start of her daughter, the thirty-six-year-old returned to competitors final December as a member of Germany’s United Cup crew. 

Alongside world #6 Alexander Zverev, they gained the mixed-team occasion and for Kerber, it served as a stress-free week to gauge her health and psychological stamina. In sunny southern California, she defeated the tenth seed Jelena Ostapenko, and the seventeenth seed, Veronika Kudermetova. 

This was the sixteenth version of this storied rivalry and the primary at Indian Wells, with Kerber forward 8-7, trailing 5/6 on hardcourts. 

Wozniacki gained the toss and selected to serve. She missed 3/5 first serves but held simply to 15 whereas Keber donated two double faults, confronted three deuce and 4 break factors, and dumped serve. 

The Dane struck two winners together with an ace on recreation level to consolidate the break for 3-0 whereas the German struggled. Although she hit two unbelievable groundstroke winners, the forehand errors continued to accrue. For the second consecutive recreation, she confronted a number of deuce and a break level however managed to carry, extracting an error from her opponent.

It was now the Dane’s flip to battle on serve and regardless of lacking 5/8 first serves and dealing with deuce, held for 4-1 whereas Kerber made 4/5 first serves however with two extra forehand errors, dropped serve. 

Wozniacki served for the arrange 5-1 however dumped serve following a deep return and excellent backhand down the road from Kerber. The German together with her trademark all-court protection and acute angles, made 6/6 first serves and with two spectacular forehands – inside-out and inside-in – held for 3-5. Wozniacki motioned to the chair that she wanted the physio throughout the subsequent changeover.     

Whereas the opening set was hers for the taking, it grew ever extra sophisticated because the errors now flew off the Dane’s racquet. Though she hit two consecutive backhand winners incomes a set level, with 4 unforced errors and two break factors, dumped serve.

Throughout the changeover, the physio labored on her proper foot which along with the ankle, beforehand had been tapped and took a medical timeout. 

Kerber trying to degree the set at 5 apiece, confronted break level following two consecutive backhand winners from Wozniacki and although she saved it with a shocking backhand down the road, conceded the sport and set with a netted forehand. 

Wozniacki served first within the second and held at love whereas Kerber dedicated 4 consecutive errors and dumped serve. The Dane made 3/4 first serves and consolidated the break at love whereas Kerber, wanting a bit dejected whereas grabbing her again, donated three extra errors together with a double fault but held for 1-3. 

Wozniacki confronted break level after a mishit backhand however with two consecutive winners together with an ace out vast, held for 4-1. Kerber had requested the physio who examined her earlier than the beginning of the final recreation and throughout the changeover, took a medical timeout.

Kerber made 3/5 first serves and with an inside-out forehand, held simply to 15 whereas Wozniacki serving with new balls, made 5/5 first serves and held to 15 for 5-2. The German serving to remain within the match hit two extraordinary forehands together with her signature down the road ala Rafa Nadal, however it was too little too late as she conceded the sport, set and match with two consecutive backhand errors. 

It was a candy sixteen for Caroline Wozniacki as she leveled their head-to-head to make the ultimate eight. It was a extremely entertaining, hard-fought battle between two of one of the best ball strikers and movers. Wozniacki completed with two aces, zero double faults, and gained 69% of first and 57% of second serve factors. She saved 2/4 break factors whereas changing 5/12 and gained 18 extra factors than her opponent.       

The previous #1 will play the present #1, Iga Swiatek for a spot within the semis. This can be their second tour-level assembly. They final performed in 2019 within the second spherical on the Rogers Cup, an out of doors WTA 1000 occasion. Swiatek, eighteen on the time and ranked exterior the highest 150, bested the veteran in three tight units.