Tennis: Williams routs Suarez Navarro to reach semis

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NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: Venus Williams of the United States returns a shot during her women's singles fourth round match against Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain on Day Seven of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

INDIAN WELLS, United States, March 16, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – World No. 8 Venus Williams reached the WTA Indian Wells semi-finals for the first time since 2001 on Thursday by routing Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 6-3, 6-2.

The 37-year-old Williams improved to 6-3 lifetime against the 29-year-old Suarez Navarro as the two veterans faced off for the first time since the round of 16 at last year’s US Open. Williams won that contest in three sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Williams, who is the oldest player in the women’s draw, will need that experience when she takes the court in the next round against Russian 20- year-old Daria Kasatkina who has been jackhammering Grand Slam champions for the past year and rolling over top 10 players this week in Indian Wells.