Defending champion Paula Badosa booked a return to the BNP Paribas Open semifinals Thursday, defeating No.21 seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. Badosa will face No.6 Maria Sakkari in Friday's semifinals. 

With her win over Kudermetova, the 24-year-old Spaniard is the first player to reach back-to-back semifinals in Indian Wells since Karolina Pliskova in 2016 and 2017. Badosa is now two wins away from becoming the first player in more than 30 years to defend the title at Indian Wells (Martina Navratilova 1990 and 1991).

The World No.7 also extended her undefeated streak in Indian Wells to 10-0, joining Navratilova as the only women to have played at least 10 matches at Indian Wells and maintain a perfect record. Badosa is the seventh player in tournament history to win 10 or more consecutive main-draw matches, along with Navratilova, Stefanie Graf, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Serena Williams and Ana Ivanovic also accomplished the feat. 

Tale of the tape: Playing in her first Indian Wells quarterfinal, Kudermetova held a solid 3-0 head-to-head advantage over the Spaniard. Kudermetova booked her quarterfinal spot with wins over Naomi Osaka, Marie Bouzkova and Marketa Vondrousova. Badosa had yet to drop a set in her title defense, defeating US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in the Round of 16.

How the match was won: Both players enjoyed a sharp start to the match before Badosa earned the first break of the match to 3-1. Badosa stayed steady from the baseline and used her heavy forehand to take advantage of the hot conditions. Landing her forehand deep and moving Kudermetova to the corners, the Spaniard looked firmly in control. 

Kudermetova nearly earned the break back in the final game of the opening set, coming back from 40-0 down to earn her only break point of the match. But Kudermetova misfired on three unforced errors and Badosa closed out a 6-3 opening set.

"I think a little bit the key was to serve well, as well, to attack her second serve," Badosa said. "I've played her three times, and I always was doing the same mistakes. I didn't want to do it for a fourth time in a row.

"I wanted to dominate with my forehand. Maybe not to let her a lot to open me the court. At the beginning maybe I was hitting a little bit more harder in the middle and then when I have my opportunity to move her. When she was moving me, try to put always one ball more was important as well."

After an off-court medical timeout during the set break for Kudermetova, Badosa got right back to business in the second set. She broke Kudermetova in her opening service game and earned an insurance break at 4-1 in the longest game of the match, a four-deuce game that finally ended when Badosa converted on her third break-point chance. After 1 hour and 23 minutes, Badosa closed out the win with a roar to maintain her mastery in the California desert. 

Badosa's game plan proved perfect against Kudermetova. Behind five aces and serving at 65% first serves in, Badosa won 75% of her first serves and 68% of her second serves, while holding Kudermetova to just 29% behind her second serve. While Badosa faced and saved only one break point in the match, she broke Kudermetova five times out of eight chances.

Badosa's resilience, in her words: "I want to show my opponents at the beginning always of the matches, that if you want to win me, you have to stay there three hours and play very well.  That's a little bit what I want to show them.

"Of course, I want to play aggressive, to find the balance of aggressive and I'm a good mover. I know I'm very tall, very big. Maybe I don't move as well as other players. But I think I really improved on that. I think a little bit what I want to show them is they have to be three hours on court."

Up next: Badosa's title defense will have to go through No.6 Maria Sakkari. This will be the second career meeting between the two Top 10 stars, with Badosa winning a tight two-set match last fall at the WTA Finals, 7-6(4), 6-4.

"I really see sometimes myself on her. I think we play quite similar, or we try to do the same things," Badosa said.

"I remember it was really tough. The match was, what, two key moments. I think I will have to fight for every ball, stay aggressive as well, serve well. She's a good server, as well. She's a good mover. In this round you just have to try to put your best tennis on the table and let's see how it goes."