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Indian Wells, California. Defending champion Rafael Nadal defeated Tomas Berdych 6-4, 7-6 (4) on Thursday to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in his first tournament since returning from a six-week injury layoff.

Nadal used every centimeter of the court in beating the Czech for the sixth consecutive time. He mixed topspin with power off the forehand side, slipped in drop shots and painted the corners with smashes.

“I’m playing a big forehand from baseline and going inside the court, being more aggressive,” he said.

Nadal won the final three points of the tiebreaker that ended with Berdych netting a backhand. The Spaniard former world No. 1 leaped for joy, trading the snarl he wore through most of the match for a smile.

“I played really well, especially the first set,” he said. “The first eight, nine games was an unbelievable level. Later the wind came and it was more difficult to play.”

Nadal was hampered by knee injuries last summer that continued into the Australian Open in January, when he was forced to retire in the quarterfinals.

Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia gave himself an early birthday present by defeating Juan Monaco of Argentina 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, setting up a semifinal against Nadal. Ljubicic turned 31 on Friday.

“I got a phone call from my brother just after the match. He said that in the Croatian time zone, I finished just like a couple of seconds before my birthday, so it’s fantastic,” he said.

Jelena Jankovic rallied from a 2-4 second-set deficit to beat Russia’s Alisa Kleybanova 6-4, 6-4 and reach the women’s semi­finals.

“I haven’t been playing well,” she said. “So it’s nice to get that feeling back and to be winning again and be in the end of the tournament again.”

In the semifinals, Jankovic will meet Australian Samantha Stosur, a 6-3, 7-6 (9) winner over Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain.

Their match ended awkwardly when Stosur challenged Sanchez’s serve that had been called good. Sanchez thought Stosur was questioning the Australian’s return, and believed her challenge request wasn’t made in time.

No. 2 seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, who hasn’t dropped a set, will meet in the other semifinal.

Tennis

Associated Press