Intro:

Serena Williams earns 700th win to reach Miami Open semis, Simona Halep defeats Sloane Stephens at Miami Open on Wednesday (April 1) for place in semi finals.

Script:

Most players can only dream of reaching 700 career victories, but that was the prospect facing Serena Williams as she prepared to take on Sabine Lisicki in the quarter finals of the Miami Open.

Nerves would have been understandable and Williams overcame some inconsistent play to progress; she took the first set 7-6, despite an unreliable serve.

But after a poor second set, the number 700 was starting to look distant; Lisicki took it 1-6 to level at one set each.

Williams hit 51 unforced errors in the match, but led 3-0 in the third set, giving her the foundation she needed to take the decider and the match, 7-6, 1-6, 6-3 to reach the semi-finals of the Miami Open.

The American has won 19 consecutive matches this year.

Williams would face the winner of Simona Halep and unseeded Sloane Stephens

Both players battled the stifling heat and the Romanian took the first with ease 6-1.

The second was closer despite Halep taking a 3-0 lead.

But Halep prevailed 7-5; a win that fires her into the semifinal stage of the tournament.