Belgian David Goffin continued his giant-killing run at Indian Wells as he stormed into the last four of the BNP Paribas Open with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 upset victory over former US Open champion Marin Cilic on Thursday.
A day after ousting third seed Stanislas Wawrinka, Goffin battled through to his first Masters 1000 semi-final, in which he faces Canadian Milos Raonic, a 7-5, 6-3 victor over Frenchman Gael Monfils.
Goffin saved 11 of 12 break points against the Croatian before sealing the win in just over an hour-and-a-half, declaring himself ready to take on another big server.
Photo: AP
“It’s good that in tennis you can find some solution against big players like Marin or Milos or [John] Isner,” the 25-year-old told reporters. “Maybe I’m quicker. I think I can take the ball earlier. I have other weapons. That’s why tennis is a nice sport.”
“I’m really happy with the way I managed the important points ... it was the key of the match, to win the first set and to be more relaxed in the second,” he said.
After being forced to fight off four set points in the opening stanza, Goffin broke 10th seed Cilic’s serve twice in the second set.
“I was on my baseline and I was making him run a lot,” said the Belgian, who has won two ATP titles. “When I had the opportunity on his second serve, I was really aggressive, so that’s why it was a better second set.”
Raonic pounded out 10 aces to reach the semi-finals at Indian Wells for the second straight year.
“I did things well. I created opportunities for myself,” the 12th seed told reporters. “I served well and when I did get myself in trouble, I felt like it was me forcing the game. Those kind of things are positive and I stuck to it and it came together.”
Raonic relinquished an early break to Monfils in the first set, but broke back in the 12th game to go 1-0 up and carried the momentum into the second stanza before serving out for the victory after 90 minutes.
The Canadian was sidelined last month because of a groin injury that helped end his run in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, but is fully fit now and ready to take on Goffin.
“He’s playing well,” Raonic said. “If I do the right things I can give myself a chance. I think I have shown that this year, and I hope I can keep showing that.”
In the women’s singles, Victoria Azarenka showed little sympathy against an ailing Magdalena Rybarikova as the Belarussian eased to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over her Slovak opponent to book a semi-final berth.
The 2012 champion polished off the opening set in just 34 minutes as she raced toward a first “double bagel” at the tournament in two years.
“I think the key was the start. I started really well and took control and I think in the second set, she wasn’t really feeling well,” Azarenka, who faces big-serving Czech Karolina Pliskova in the semi-finals, told reporters. “I’m glad I stayed focused on my game.”
Earlier, Pliskova enjoyed a similarly dominant victory when she cruised into the semi-finals with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Russian teenager Darya Kasatkina.
Top seed Serena Williams faces third-seeded Pole Agnieska Radwanska the other semi-final.
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