Serena, Federer, Nadal gain but Sharapova out

INDIAN WELLS, California– Struggling with her serve and a rash of errors, Serena Williams overcame a slow start to beat 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.

Four-time Indian Wells champion Roger Federer defeated Andreas Seppi, 6-3, 6-4, avenging his third-round loss to the latter at the Australian Open.

Seppi fought off three match points on his serve to trail 5-4 in the third set. He netted a forehand to give Federer a fourth match point in the next game, and the Swiss star closed it out with a forehand winner in the corner.

Seppi’s win Down Under stopped a 10-match skid against Federer. The Italian broke Federer to tie it up 3-all in the second, but Federer broke back on a forehand winner in the next game to take a lead he never gave up.

“It absolutely was an opportunity right away to play him again and sort of erase it to some extent from the memory as the season moves forward,” Federer said.