Sloane Stephens 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 in the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday, extending her winning streak to 14 matches.
Maria Sharapova struggled mightily, too, losing 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to defending champion Flavia Pennetta, who won her ninth straight match after becoming emotional and leaving the court in the first set.
Pennetta went off and cried, saying she “let everything out, screaming, do something.”
“For the first two or three games I was OK,” Pennetta said. “Then it’s coming. Like I never expect. I never do something like that. Normally you go away and you don’t want to stay on the court. But for me was important to just keep calm and try to play. In the end I just play really well.”
Pennetta had 34 unforced errors and just 15 winners. Sharapova topped her in both categories with 42 unforced errors and 27 winners to go with 11 double faults.
Pennetta broke two-time Indian Wells champion Sharapova twice in the final set, winning the last seven games.
“She got in a really good rhythm,” said Sharapova, who didn’t notice Pennetta’s meltdown. “Everything I gave her she was able to hit back solid with pace.”
Williams committed 52 unforced errors and had nine double faults to go with 13 aces and 31 winners in the up-and-down match played in 90-degree (32 Celsius) heat.
“I’m just trying to find my bearings,” the world’s top-ranked player said. “Little off this week, but like I said, I’m just happy to be here.”
Williams set up match point with a 128-mph ace and won when Stephens dumped a backhand into the net, one of her 36 errors.
Williams broke Stephens three times in the final set of her third match at Indian Wells since ending a 14-year personal boycott of the tournament, where she has won two titles.
“The crowd has been really great,” Williams said. “It’s been really relaxing here. I just feel I don’t want to leave.”
Stephens recovered after blowing a 3-1 lead in the first set to dominate the tiebreaker that included just one winner, a smash by Williams to trail 3-2.
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