Serena Williams advances to the semis at Indian Wells

Top-ranked Serena Williams advanced to the semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open, Wednesday with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Timea Bacsinszky, extending the American’s winning streak to 15 matches in her return to the Indian Wells, after ending a 14-year boycott of the tournament.

“I am just happy that I was able to get through that and still be alive in this tournament when I haven’t clearly been the Serena that we all know,” Williams said.

Bacsinszky had her 15-match winning streak snapped. She broke to take a 3-1 lead in the opening set before Williams tied it up 3-all and then held for a 4-3 lead. Bacsinszky held for 5-all and had two break points in the next game, but she committed two straight forehand errors. Williams held and then broke in the next game to take the set.

The second set featured four straight breaks of serve before Williams won four of the final five games.

“The only thing is I know can I play a lot better. I really take a lot of solace in that,” Williams said. “Even if I don’t win this event, I know I can play a tremendous amount better than what I have been playing.”

Third-seeded Simona Halep rallied to beat No. 12 Carla Suarez Navarro, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 and will face Williams in the semifinals.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.