ESPN broke the news when they came on at 11pm ET revealing word at the tournament was that Serena Williams was uncertain for her Friday night scheduled semifinal against World No. 3 Simona Halep due to a right knee injury. The rumor soon became fact while Jelena Jankovic and Sabine Lisicki slugged it out for their spot in the final.

Of course the backdrop is Venus similarly withdrew just minutes before …

There honestly hasn’t been much Madness so far this March. It began in promising fashion with Davis Cup weekend, but the men’s event at Indian Wells thus far has been a letdown.

Nick Kyrgios-Grigor Dimitrov was exciting. John Isner-Novak Djokovic had some good moments as did several other matches, but there were no real “time capsule” type contests. However, we still have a lot of tennis still to play.

And tomorrow offers …

Two the best women in the world collide Friday in the Indian Wells semifinals as Serena Williams and Simona Halep meet for the first time this year.

The two faced off twice at the end of 2014 splitting two lopsided matches in the WTA Finals with Simona winning the round robin stage while Serena getting revenge in the final.

“I think it will be really good,” Serena said of the matchup after …

Bernard Tomic withdrew ahead of his first career Masters quarterfinal today at Indian Wells due to multiple ailments. Tomic was scheduled to play Novak Djokovic Thursday night, but the 22-year-old talked about both back and wisdom tooth issues.

“[It’s the] lower back connecting to the hip area and the groin,” Tomic said. “I have been playing a lot of matches on it, and it’s just very painful now. It was a …

Serena Williams on Wednesday night set up a semifinal at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells against a player who handed her the most devastating loss of her 2014 season.

The world No. 1 last night entered the semifinal round after squashing the 15-match winning streak of Timea Bacsinszky, the No. 27 seed, 7-5, 6-3. Bacsinszky entered Indian Wells winning back-to-back titles in Acapulco and Monterrey.

The Swiss broke the world …

Three top players have already withdrawn from the upcoming Miami Open. Roger Federer is already not playing and today another multiple Wimbledon winner said she will not be there either, Petra Kvitova.

The Czech, who withdrew from Indian Wells, will also miss Miami as she continues to fight exhaustion.

“Unfortunately I am still not feeling 100 per cent and am therefore disappointed to announce my withdrawal from the Miami Open,” she …

Wayne Odesnik was hit with his second doping offense, the ITF announced today, effectively ending his tennis career thanks to a 15-year ban from the sport.

Odesnik December 14 test returned positive for “one or more of: metabolites of methenolone; metabolites of androst-(2,3)-en-17-one; and GHRP-6”. The 29-year-old will forfeit points earned this year from the Australian Open and any challenger events.

Odesnik then announced his retirement from the sport, but maintained his …

Roger Federer had his revenge Tuesday at Indian Wells. The Swiss was stunned by Andrea Seppi in the third round at the Australian Open, his only loss of the season. But this time Federer had no troubles with the Italian in a 6-3, 6-4 win.

“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 …

The match on the marquee Tuesday at Indian Wells was the fourth round matchup between Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens. The upstart Stephens who stunned Serena at the Australian Open a few years ago, jumped out on top taking 3-0 lead then eventually holding on to win the first set in a tiebreaker.

But Serena would only lose four games thereafter, taking care of the youngster 6-7, 6-2, 6-2.

“Sloane played really …

Two former No. 1s were shocked by up-and-comers on Monday at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells as Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic were shown the door in third round play.

The No. 5-seeded Ivanovic fell 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to 21-year-old No. 25 seed Caroline Garcia, while the No. 4-seeded Wozniacki was straight-setted by No. 31 Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-4.

Bencic lost 6-0, 6-0 to Wozniacki in their previous meeting.

“I was …

American stars Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens meet in one of the better Indian Wells matches scheduled for Tuesday. Sloane beat Serena two years ago in the 2013 Australian Open quarterfinals, stunning the legend in three sets.

Since the loss, the two have had a rocky relationship. Sloane ripped Serena for he lack of comraderie after Australia. Serena responded she was a fan.

Serena went on to win later …

Roger Federer revealed yesterday that he knew early on in his career 12 years ago that he wanted to play pro tennis for a very long time, and that would meaning sticking to a consistent schedule and avoiding money grabs.

“Well, the idea was always trying to be around the game for a long time,” Federer said after beating Diego Schwartzmann. “And for that in 2004 when I became world No. …

Rafael Nadal breezed in his opening round match last night at Indian Wells, but afterward took a shot at the balls the tournament is using.

“The ball is still not very well,” Nadal said. “Still problem with the same ball. We need to change that, because highest level of tennis deserve highest quality of ball. This ball is not the highest quality.”

Indian Wells uses the Penn ball while the Australian Open, …

On a day rife with upsets, the top names Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams all won in comfort.

Federer had no trouble with the diminutive Diego Schwartzmann crushing the Argentine 6-4, 6-2 in 63 minutes. Federer, a 4-time Indian Wells champion, sets up a Tuesday rematch against the man who gave him his only loss on the season, that a third round shocker at the Australian Open to Andreas …

Former champions Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka will renew their awfully loud rivalry Monday night at 7pm in the Indian Wells third round.

Azarenka, who like Sharapova is a former No. 1, has seen her ranking slip to No. 38 due to injury, hence the early meeting against Sharapova.

The two will play each other for the 14th time with Azarenka holding the slight 7-6 edge. But they haven’t met since the …