• BNP Paribas Open

No problems for Jankovic or Stosur

Jelena Jankovic was wearing green but there was no need for envy © Getty Images

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• Profile: Jelena Jankovic

Jelena Jankovic justified her status as No. 6 seed by sweeping past Alisa Kleybanova 6-4 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.

It hasn't been the best of seasons so far for Jankovic but the world No. 9 is finding form at a timely moment on her way to her second semi-final in this event, following her run in the 2008 edition.

Jankovic took her only break point in the first set, while saving four, to edge ahead before Kleybanova secured a break in the second set to get out to a 4-2 lead. Jankovic won the next four games though to wrap up victory against Kim Clijsters' conqueror.

"She's a tricky player and can throw you off your rhythm at times," Jankovic said of Kleybanova. "But I just tried to stay focused and tried to play the best that I can under those circumstances.

"I think every win that I'm getting gives me a lot of confidence. I feel that I'm coming back, and my game is getting better and better. It gives me more motivation. I feel like I can work much harder. I know what I need to work on just to get better as a player in general."

Kleybanova, 20, perhaps tired after coming through some lengthy matches in the desert heat but said she was happy to take the experience in her stride while she learns the game.

"I'm really happy that I got so far this week," she said. "It's been really a long, tough matches for me. I think the most important is that I've been really fighting a lot, and I played some good matches here. It's always experience. The more you stay out there playing matches, competing, you definitely get more experience, more confidence."

Australian Sam Stosur progressed to be Jankovic's semi-final opponent, beating Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-3 7-6(7).

Stosur has gone under the radar in this tournament, avoiding most of the big names apart from defending champion and No. 12 seed Vera Zvonareva, but she is yet to drop a set and this latest result confirms her place in the top ten rankings - becoming the first Australian to rise that high in five years.

The 25-year-old is something of a late bloomer, but her form is unquestionable, as she demonstrated in the first set of this match by dominating her opponent completely. Martinez Sanchez launched a stern resistance in the second set, and Stosur was hindered by four double faults and a dropped service game, but her competitive spirit came to the fore as she wrapped up the tie-break.

Stosur said she was delighted to have achieved her childhood dream of cracking the top ten, and that she has Jankovic in her sights in the next match.

"It's a great feeling. To have a smaller number next to your name is a great thing. It doesn't help you win any more matches, but it's certainly been a goal of mine for a long time to try and get there. Since I was a little kid I wanted to try and be top ten in the world, so now it's happened. I'm sure Monday when I see it, I will be very pleased.

"She's (Jankovic) obviously a very good player, she's been in the top ten for quite a long time, she runs a lot of balls down, and doesn't necessarily hit a lot of winners, but she fights for every point. She certainly makes her opponents work for it. I know I'm going to have to stay in rallies and not go for things too early.

"At the end of the day, I'm going to try and play my game. I'm an aggressive player, and I'm going to try and assert what I've got on her. I'm going to go out there and I'm gonna have to go for it, but I'm looking forward to it."

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