Wednesday 18 March 2015 07:22, UK
Serena Williams recovered from a set down to overcome fellow American Sloane Stephens and reach the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
Williams dropped her first two service games in her fourth career meeting with unseeded Stephens, who beat the world No 1 at the 2013 Australian Open.
Despite losing the opening set on a tie-break after rallying to recover the double break, Williams became increasingly dominant as the match went on and secured a 6-7 6-2 6-2 win in two hours and seven minutes in California.
Williams, making her first appearance at Indian Wells since winning the 2001 title, battled back from Stephens' strong start to level but the world No 42 dominated the tie-break to raise hopes of equalling the career wins between the pair at two each.
But Williams broke Stephens' serve early in the second set and denied her opponent a single break-point chance before clinching the second set to level the last-16 match.
Stephens dropped her serve again in the first game of the deciding set and, when Williams broke again to go 5-2 ahead, the top seed eased to the win and a place in the last eight.
Williams will play Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland, who beat Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 4-6 6-1 6-1, in the quarter-finals.
"I don't feel like I need to come here and win the trophy," said Williams, who ended her 14-year boycott of the event this year.
"I feel like this is more than I have ever imagined doing. I never imagined even having an opportunity to come back.
"I feel like I have been a champ here, and I'm really happy with every match that I win and every result. For me it's all icing on the court."
