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Serena Williams withdraws from BNP Paribas Open

Xinhua, March 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

Serena Williams withdrew from the BNP Paribas Open semifinal match due to a right knee injury, while Jelena Jankovic defeated Sabine Lisicki 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to reach the final on Friday night.

"A couple days ago at practice I really injured my knee," Williams told fans on-court. "Today I was struggling just to even walk."

The world's top-ranked player was to play third-seeded Simona Halep in the second semifinal on Friday evening.

Just a few minutes before Williams took center stage, Jankovic concluded her post-match interview. "I feel like I'm home," she said after the match. "I've won here before and it just feels unbelievable."

Former world No. 1 Jankovic rallied to beat Lisicki to reach the final after five years.

"I was trying just to stay tough, hang in there, and play one point at a time, stay in the zone," Jankovic said. "I felt that I got the momentum going, and I kind of felt like I had the wind in my back." Endi