Angelique Kerber beats Venus Williams to enter Indian Wells semi-finals

A slew of errors came at the worst possible time for Venus Williams on Friday, as she blew a first set tiebreak before losing 7-6(3), 6-3 to Angelique Kerber in the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals in Indian Wells.

Momentum swung firmly in Kerber's favour during the tie-break when Williams committed six unforced errors, including a backhand into the net that handed the German the set.

Three-times Grand Slam champion Kerber, who is looking for a maiden title in the Indian Wells, will next play Belinda Bencic after the Swiss beat world number five Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 earlier in the quarter-final.

Kerber said she struggled to impose her game on the American. "I was really trying, in the first set especially, to find my rhythm and play my tennis but it was not so easy," she told reporters.

"To play against Venus, it's always tough. I'm happy I won the first set and then could move in and play a little bit better in the second set," she added.  

Bencic, who defeated world number one and defending champion Naomi Osaka on Wednesday, secured the win when Pliskova could not return a serve on match point. 

The 22-year-old Swiss could have had an even easier time against the Czech, but converted just four of her 16 break-point opportunities. 

"She knows she has the big serve and big groundstrokes. Obviously, my plan was to try to make her rally and try to be good in the defensive and also try to be dominant when I can," she said of her friend and practice partner Pliskova.

Since the beginning of the year, world number 23 Bencic has defeated six top-10 opponents and looks to have put behind her the injury woes that plagued her last year. 

"It's been a dream. I wouldn't believe I win today. I'm not going to the court with any expectations, I'm just trying to play," she told reporters.