Kirilenko’s Win Over Kvitova Sets Up Sharapova Showdown at Indian Wells
Thirteenth-seeded Maria Kirilenko overcame an injury and a mid-match lapse to defeat the fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the 2013 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. to advance to the semifinals of the event.
"Finally, I reached the semifinals," said Kirilenko. "I’m really happy I won this match. I had some problems with my knee during the first set, but was able to keep fighting and win."
Kirilenko had already been to the semifinals or better at four WTA Premier-level events before, as well as last year’s Olympics, but in terms of points weighting and prize money, the 2013 BNP Paribas Open is her biggest semifinal. In advancing to the semis, she also, for the first time in her career, defeated two top 10 ranked players in a tournament, Kvitova on Wednesday and world number four Agnieszka Radwanska the day before.
Kirilenko’s victory sets up an all-Russian semifinal, as world number three Maria Sharapova was a 7-6(6), 6-2 winner over the number six seed, Sara Errani in the quarterfinals. Sharapova improved to 6-0 in quarterfinals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. She captured the trophy in 2006 and finished runner-up to Victoria Azarenka last year.
"We always have difficult matches against each other," said Sharapova of facing Kirilenko. Sharapova leads Kirilenko in their head-to-head, 4-2, but two of Sharapova’s wins were three-setters, including her 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 win in the quarterfinals last year at Indian Wells.
"Last time we played was at the Olympics, which I won in two sets, but she always plays really well in this tournament," said Sharapova. "We had a really tough quarterfinal match at this tournament last year, so I’m expecting another tough one. I’ll prepare and just go out on the court and do my best."
