(Indian Wells) World No. 2 Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka easily qualified for the WTA 1000 semi-finals in Indian Wells, beating No. 6 American Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-0 on Friday in California.
The 24-year-old, who won her first Major in January at the Australian Open, will face Greece’s Maria Sakkari (7th), finalist in the event last year, or Czech Petra Kvitova ( 15th), opposite at night.
Sabalenka has been filled with confidence since winning Melbourne, losing just one of 17 matches this season, dropping just five sets along the way.
“It’s a nice feeling, but ‘trust’ is a word I don’t really like. I would talk more about self-belief. I know that in every game, I give the best of myself, ”she commented hot.
She demonstrated this brilliantly against Gauff, who had nevertheless won three of their four previous confrontations, less than 24 hours after having had to do otherwise to dismiss the Czech Barbora Krejcikova (16th) 6-3, 2-6 , 6-4, in the 1/8th final.
More aggressive, more powerful, more consistent, she had no trouble getting rid, in just over an hour, of the 19-year-old American, who did not seem well on her plate, despite the support from the admiring public also from Belarus for his show of force.
“Oh, let’s go! I know you would have liked to send me home. But I don’t want to leave, the atmosphere is great here! joked, all smiles, Sabalenka who reached the last four for the first time in the Californian desert.
