Indian Wells, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Sabine Lisicki outlasted defending champion Flavia Pennetta in a three-set thriller to advance to the semifinals of the $5.3 million BNP Paribas Open on Thursday.
After the 15th-seeded Pennetta rallied to win a second-set tiebreaker to continue the match, Lisicki prevailed in a tiebreaker in the third to grind out a 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-4) decision in two hours and 40 minutes.
Pennetta, who upset Agnieszka Radwanska in last year's final in the California desert, had three match points while up 5-4 in the third set. However, the 24th-seeded Lisicki fought back to hold serve and ultimately force a tiebreak.
Lisicki moved on to face former world No. 1 and 2010 Indian Wells champ Jelena Jankovic in Friday's semis. Jankovic, seeded 18th, was flattening Lesia Tsurenko 6-1, 4-1 when the Ukrainian, who tweaked her ankle badly during her upset of Eugenie Bouchard on Tuesday, retired on Day 9 at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Friday's other semifinal will pit world No. 1 and two-time Indian Wells champion Serena Williams against third-seeded 2014 French Open runner-up Simona Halep.
The 33-year-old American great Williams, playing here for the first time in 14 years, was the Indian Wells champ back in 1999 and 2001.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.