There will be revenge in the air on Friday in the Californian desert, where the Polish world No. 1 warned her future opponent: "She plays very well but I will be ready. The last time we faced each other, the conditions were totally different. I will be 100%."

The other poster of the last square will oppose the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (2nd), euphoric since her first major title in Melbourne, to Maria Sakkari (7th), finalist of the event last year.

At the time, the Greek had been powerless against Swiatek, then in the midst of an invincibility period that lasted 37 matches, from Doha in February to Wimbledon in July, with a triumph at Roland-Garros.

The 21-year-old Pole, who was then crowned at the US Open, is not as irresistible in this first quarter of 2023, but she is undeniably rising in Indian Wells, where she is looking for a double that only Martina Navratilova managed in 1991-1992.

Romania's Sorana Cirstea (83rd), who had beaten the odds against France's Caroline Garcia (5th) in the previous round, paid the price, swept 6-2, 6-3 in 1:22. A score that could have been even more severe if she had not taken her opponent's serve once per set, to delay the deadline.

"I started well in every round and I was able to finish cleanly. I'm glad I put a big intensity. I feel like I'm managing pretty well (being the defending champion, editor's note) and that I'm just playing my game," Swiatek said after her 16th win of the season, all in straight sets.

Alcaraz expected in the evening

Earlier, Elena Rybakina (10th) was the first Kazakh to open the doors to a semi-final in Indian Wells, with more difficulty overcoming 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-4 Czech Karolina Muchova (76th).

"It was a very difficult game today. I didn't start the meeting very well, I was a little slower than usual. But I ended up serving much better in the third set and in the important moments I played well," said the 23-year-old, who won Wimbledon last year.

Facing Muchova, who had won their first meeting at the US Open in 2019, she gave up a set for the first time in the tournament, after having to break in the first, then erase a set ball at 5-4, to finally make the difference in the decisive game.

The Kazakh, a finalist at the Australian Open in January, regained the upper hand in the final set, managing to tighten her game and pick up the pace. But she had to be patient, missing two match balls on opponent's serve, before concluding on the third with an ace, her sixth of the match, after 2:46.

Two men's quarterfinals complete the day's program.

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, who can become world No. 1 again if he wins the tournament, will face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (10th) at night. The winner will meet in the last four with the American Taylor Fritz (5th), defending champion, or the Italian Jannik Sinner (13th) opposed in the Californian afternoon.

© 2023 AFP