 Irina Sabalenka vs Maria Sakkari is the first semi-final for Indian Wells for the ladies for 2023. And both players have had different roads to get to the semi-finals. Sakkari entered the tournament as the number 7 seed and we're going to buy in the first round. In the second round she'll take on the unseeded Rodgers who've beaten some really big players at these events before. This was no problem for Sakkari and Sakkari would have to fight to get through in three, two, six, six, four, six love. In the third round she'll take on Kalanina the 27 seed and again after dropping the first set Sakkari would have to fight eventually winning in three, three, six, six, two, six, four. In the fourth round she'll take on the 17 seed Plishkova who had just beaten the 11 seed Kudamatova in the previous round. And again Sakkari would have to fight to get through this match in three, getting through six, four, five, seven, six, three. In the quarter-finals Sakkari played Kovitava, the number 15 seed, a player that she had played many times before and after going down a set and a break Sakkari would fight through in three, four, six, seven, five, six, one to get to the semis. Sabalenka started the tournament off as the number two seed and we're going to buy in the first round. In the second round she'll take on Radina but this pose no problem for Sabalenka getting through in straight sets six, two, six love. In the third round she was supposed to play Sarenko who had just beaten Vekic the 29 seed in the previous round but Sarenko pulled out last minute Sabalenka got a walk-over win. In the fourth round she would take on the number 16 seed Krajikova the only player to beat Sabalenka this season and after dropping the second set Sabalenka would again have to fight to win the match this time winning in three, six, three, two, six, six, four to advance to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals Sabalenka would take on the number six seed Goff and had some very close matches with Goff in the past but this match Sabalenka looked amazing winning easily in straight sets six, four, six love to get to the semis. These two have played seven times before with Sabalenka leading the head to head four, three but Sakkari has won their last two matches over the last couple of seasons. Sakkari is going to win this one she needs to get off to a better start than she has for this tournament she got away with it against some of the players this week especially against Kovitava she got away with a slow start but she needs to get that first set and really put Sabalenka under pressure. If Sabalenka is going to win this one she just needs to keep doing what she's doing. What she did against Goff was so so good she played so aggressive and everything's going into the moment when she hits it so push around Sakkari that's what's going to work if she wants this win. This is going to be a very interesting semi-final because Sakkari's won their last two matches but she hasn't played this version of Sabalenka like we saw against Goff. Goff didn't know what to do I think Sakkari's going to struggle as well and Sabalenka gets through in straights but it's going to be a close straight set but I think overpowering Sakkari is what Sabalenka will do. Let me know down in the comments below what do you think's going to happen.