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INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – And then there were four. The BNP Paribas Open draw has dwindled down to a quartet of elite talents, including two former champions. Wtatennis.com breaks down a blockbuster semifinal day here.

Friday, Semifinals

Stadium 1
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [3] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #3)
Head-to-head: Williams leads 9-0
Key Stat: Williams has won 18 of 19 sets against Radwanska.
Will Serena Williams make it a perfect 10-0 against Agnieszka Radwanska on Friday to claim her spot in her first BNP Paribas Open final in fifteen years? If the scintillating form the two-time BNP Paribas Open champion displayed in her quarterfinal victory over Simona Halep is any indication, the American will be an extremely tough player to knock out of this draw. “She was moving really good, and hit it so strong,” an impressed Halep said after falling on Wednesday night to Williams. “I think she’s in good shape now. Yeah, maybe she’s going to win this title.”

In order to stop Williams from winning it all, Agnieszka Radwanska will likely have to play the match of her career. But if there was ever a time for Radwanska to pull a jaw-dropping upset, it could be now. The Pole has been the WTA’s most consistent performer since the US Open, going 34-6 with four titles, including the biggest of her career at last October’s BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. The momentum has certainly been building for Radwanska, but how to take that extra step to get past the daunting Williams? When they met two months ago at the Australian Open semifinals, Radwanska got off on the wrong foot and never recovered. “I think she started unbelievable, with such a power and speed,” she said at the time. “I was just standing there kind of watching her playing.” To avoid a similar situation Radwanska will have to make a high percentage of first serves and do everything in her power to stay in rallies and keep Williams off balance.

Williams is well aware that Radwanska is a threat, particularly on the gritty hard courts here in the desert, despite the lopsided victory in Australia and the 9-0 lifetime advantage. “Obviously she does everything so well, including running, and this is a good surface for her because it’s a slow surface,” Williams said. “I expect there will be a lot of long rallies. I will be ready.”

Pick: Williams in three

[13] Victoria Azarenka (BLR #15) vs. [18] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #19)
Head-to-head: series tied 1-1
Key Stat: Azarenka will return to the Top 10 (at No.8) for the first time since August 2014 if she wins the title at Indian Wells.
Victoria Azarenka reached only one WTA final in 2015, but the Belarusian is closing in on her second title of 2016 and we’re not even through March yet. It has happened in fits and starts over the last two years, but could we finally be witnessing the return to elite status of one of the WTA’s most talented — and decorated — players? Whether she reaches the final or not, one thing is certain: Azarenka is relishing the opportunity to prove herself on the big stage. “I love pressure,” she told reporters this week at Indian Wells. “That’s what makes me a good player and a great player. That’s what motivates me. Without pressure I get bored and it’s not fun. So to be able to compete in that high situation, that’s what I’m always looking forward to.”

Azarenka may be fine with the pressure, but how will the 2012 BNP Paribas Open champion handle the searing heat of Karolina Pliskova’s world-class serve? The tall, cool Czech ripped nine aces and won 24 of 26 first-serve points to take down Russia’s Daria Kasatkina on Thursday. How well Pliskova can dictate with her heavy offerings will be the key to her survival in this intriguing matchup, but in Azarenka she’ll be facing one of the WTA’s elite returners.

Pick: Azarenka in two

– Chris Oddo, wtatennis.com contributor

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Karolina Pliskova ended Daria Kasatkina’s breakthrough run at the BNP Paribas Open with a brilliant display of controlled aggression on Thursday afternoon.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!

Kasatkina has been one of the fortnight’s feel-good stories, but the emotional and physical exertions finally caught up with her as Pliskova ran out a 6-3. 6-2 winner.

Pliskova, the No.18 seed, took full advantage of the friendly conditions, hitting winners at will past her weary teenage opponent. However, it was far from mindless ball-bashing from the Czech, who gave Kasatkina very little in the way of cheap points, coughing up 10 unforced errors during their hour on court.

Kasatkina held her own in the first set, withstanding the onslaught from the other end until the sixth game when Pliskova arrowed a forehand into the corner to break. With Pliskova’s own serve as dominant as ever, the set was soon in the bag.

Pliskova continued to turn the screw at the start of the second, another thumping forehand bringing an immediate break as she hurtled towards a maiden Indian Wells semifinal.

There she will face 2012 champion Victoria Azarenka, who downed Magdalena Rybarikova in a 6-0, 6-0 shutout.

While Kastakina was unable to replicate the tennis that accounted for No.12 seed Timea Bacsinszky a round earlier, it takes little away from a remarkable rise; this time last year, the teenager, then outside the Top 300, was slogging it out on the ITF Circuit.

“Now I’m Top 40,” she said in her post-match press conference. “Last year I was 340. Yeah, it was pretty fast!” 

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – 2012 champion Victoria Azarenka needed just 67 minutes to overcome an ailing Magdalena Rybarikova in a complete shutout to advance to the semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!

Ahead of day’s last quarterfinal, Azarenka delivered a  warning message to her opponents at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

“I don’t think I am close to fulfilling my potential,” she said in last round’s post-match press conference. “Just to see what I can do on practice court and physically what I can improve, I’m far from that. That’s what I’m looking forward to improve.”

If that’s really the case, her opponents will have much to worry about after Azarenka’s 6-0, 6-0 win over Magdalena Rybarikova.

Rybarikova, who at No.97 is the lowest-ranked player to reach the quarterfinals at Indian Wells since 2012, found herself struggling with her serve early on. Only 41 percent of her first serves found their mark in the opening set, giving Azarenka many opportunities to come up into the court and attack Rybarkiova’s weaker second serve. The Belarusian threw everything at her opponent – even attempting a tweener – and Rybarikova couldn’t come up with a reply, quickly dropping the first set after only 34 minutes.

The Slovak’s troubles would only get worse from there; she called the trainer during the changeover to treat an injury to her right leg.

Azarenka continued to steamroll in the second set as Rybarikova’s movement became increasingly hampered. Despite struggling a bit with her serve – Azarenka served two double faults in one game to give Rybarikova break point at 2-0, and again at 4-0 to give her three more break chances – she stayed perfect until the end, blasting her third ace of the match to secure the victory and her spot in the semifinals.

“I think the key today was the start,” Azarenka said after the win. “I really started aggressive, taking opportunities and I felt like I was in full control.”

“I think in the second set she wasn’t feeling really well, but it was important for me to stay in the moment and keep dictating. It’s easy to lose focus and pay too much attention to your opponent.”

Azarenka opponent in the semifinals will be the big-hitting Czech Karolina Pliskova, who ended Daria Kasatkina’s breakthrough run in Indian Wells with a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Four years ago, Victoria Azarenka arrived at this juncture of the BNP Paribas Open feeling invincible.

Riding the crest on a 20-match unbeaten run that had taken her to Australian Open glory and top of the rankings, Azarenka looked set to embark on a period of dominance at the summit of the women’s game.

However, it has not panned out quite like that for the Belarusian, whose status as her generation’s standard bearer has been undermined by a succession of injuries.

Azarenka would go on to defend her Australian Open crown and reach a couple of finals at the US Open – both times coming out on the losing side in classic battles with Serena Williams. Yet problems – of varying severity – to feet, ankles and back soon saw Azarenka spending as much time on the treatment table as the court.

Her absence was keenly felt, robbing the sport of the one player perhaps capable of challenging Williams’ hegemony. After a number of false dawns, this season Azarenka finally looks in a position to resume this rivalry.

Now ranked No.15, Azarenka can return to the Top 10 by reclaiming the title she first lifted during her annus mirabilis. And while her fitness woes have tested her patience, the 26-year-old has never lost sight of the end goal.

“I’m in a different stage of my career. You know, I think getting to No.1 of course it’s a goal. My main goal is to win Grand Slams. That’s that I want really bad and that’s what I’m working towards. I always think that ranking is a bonus that comes with it. Once you have results, you win tournaments, it comes automatically.

“And at first it was something that you just, you want to get there since you’re a kid. You know, it’s a big dream. And once you achieve it, sometimes it brings the level of motivation down. Right now my level of motivation is different. I’m not that kid with a big dream of becoming No.1. I have been there.”

Azarenka started the year like a freight train, romping to the title in Brisbane then cantering through the opening week of the Australian Open. Many tipped her for a third title Down Under, but it was not to be, an inspired Angelique Kerber – whom Azarenka had outclassed in the Brisbane final – dashing the dream.

Worryingly for the rest of the tour, and quarterfinal foe Magdalena Rybarikova, she insists the best is yet to come: “Oh, I don’t think I am close to fulfilling my potential. Just to see what I can do on practice court and physically what I can improve, I’m far from that. That’s what I’m looking forward to improve.”

Perhaps burnt by her experience in Melbourne, or just eager to make up for lost time, the former No.1 is leaving no stone unturned in her pursuit of tennis’ biggest prizes.

“Now I don’t really think ahead. There is a difference between creating a big picture and goals, to set the goals where you work day in and day out towards. But what’s going to happen, I don’t really think about it. I just want to make sure that on every single day I do whatever I can. I think the great quote, you know, anybody can outwork you, but nobody will out prepare me.”

World No.56 Yulia Putintseva arrived in Miami after a career-best run at the BNP Paribas Open, where she reached the third round and pushed World No.1 Serena Williams to a first set tie-break. After heading to the American Airlines Arena for a Rihanna concert, Putintseva got down to business on Thursday, showing off what she called her “new way to serve:”

New way to serve ??? pic.twitter.com/cwSNDtxmy5

— Yulia Putintseva (@Yulka1995P) March 17, 2016

The moment was reminiscent of when colleague Elina Svitolina lit up social media at the end of 2014 with her own trick serve at the China Open:

Putintseva and Svitolina will undoubtedly get competition from Tweener Queen Kristina Mladenovic. The Frenchwoman debuted the shot under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium en route to the quarterfinals of the US Open, bringing it back once (or twice) during the off-season for IPTL:

How can you not love @KikiMladenovic? #showgirl #IPTL2 pic.twitter.com/elwHQfxpv2

— Noémie. (@Saschatard) December 16, 2015

But few have been able to work their magic into a match quite like Agnieszka Radwanska, who reached the semifinals in Indian Wells – and returned to the No.2 ranking – on Wednesday with a 6-2, 7-6(3) win over two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova:

#SCTop10 anyone? @ARadwanska was on FIRE! ? https://t.co/ctucReiGbc

— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2016

Which are some of your favorite trick shots? Let us know on Twitter @WTA!