Indian Wells Update

I apologize for not getting this post up as soon as I wanted so now we can call it a semifinal post rather than a quarterfinal post.  I am still getting back into the swing of things after my vacation.

To this point in the tournament, Indian Wells has largely gone according to form with 7 of the top 8 seeds in each draw reaching the quarters.  But then a few upsets and injuries hit.  Here are the quarterfinalists, and then I'll briefly discuss the quarterfinal round.

Men
1) Novak Djokovic (SRB)
2) Roger Federer (SUI)
3) Andy Murray (GBR)
5) Rafael Nadal (ESP)
6) Tomas Berdych (CZE)
7) Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)
8) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)
Kevin Anderson (RSA)

-Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, and Del Potro reached the quarters in 2012 also
-Eight different countries are represented

Women
1) Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
2) Maria Sharapova (RUS)
4) Angelique Kerber (GER)
5) Petra Kvitova (CZE)
6) Sara Errani (ITA)
7) Samantha Stosur (AUS)
8) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
13) Maria Kirilenko (RUS)

-Azarenka, Sharapova, Kerber, and Kirilenko reached the quarters in 2012 also
-Again, eight different countries are represented with only Czech Republic having both a man and woman alive.

That's when the chaos started on the women's side.  Kirilenko upset Kvitova while Sharapova handled Errani.  Then we had a double walkover yesterday when Azarenka and Stosur both pulled out, sending Wozniacki and Kerber through to the semis.  So the semifinal matchups are Sharapova vs. Kirilenko and Kerber vs. Wozniacki.  I'm going to go with Sharapova over Kerber in the final although Sharapova has been vulnerable on hard courts moreso than clay to lower ranked players.

The men went a little more according to seed as Djokovic and Berdych advanced over Tsonga and Anderson.  Then we had one of the more lopsided Federer-Nadal matches as the Spaniard took down the defending champion 6-4 6-2.  Then earlier today Del Potro upset Murray, coming from a set down.  Djokovic will play Del Potro in one semi while Berdych challenges Nadal in the other.  I would expect Djokovic and Nadal to renew their rivalry with the world no. 1 prevailing but both Del Potro and Berdych are in form so I wouldn't be surprised with an upset.

American play
This is becoming a continuing theme in the young season but the play of the young Americans has been disappointing.  Only one American reached the round of 16 - Sam Querrey.

The men went 7-10 with wins for Querrey (2), Fish (great to see him back), Blake, Harrison, q-Odesnik, and q-Reynolds and first round losses for Isner (finalist last year), Smyczek, Johnson, and Sock.

The women went 8-14 with wins for Hampton (2), q-Burdette (2) (that's a nice surprise), McHale, Keys, Sanchez, and Townsend (first WTA win) with first round losses for Stephens (she's been awful since the Aussie Open), Lepchenko (she's slumping too), King, Oudin, Davis, Mattek-Sands, Craybas, Sanchez, and q-Min.

Notable winners
-Ernests Gulbis (LAT) continued his recent run of good form with a trip to the round of 16, where he took a set off Nadal.
-Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino (ESP) reached the round of 16 with wins over Vinci and Lepchenko.
-Garbine Muguruza (ESP), who broke out at this time last year, also reached the round of 16.
-Taylor Townsend (USA) won her first WTA match.  She is ranked #5 among players born in '96.

I'd also like to give a shout out to Karolina Pliskova (CZE) who won her first career title in Kuala Lumpur, defeating Bethanie Mattek-Sands.  She is a former junior slam champ and was ranked #6 among those born in '92 at the end of last year.