Australian Open champion Madison Keys extended her win streak to 16 matches after dominating Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-1 in the BNP Paribas Open quarterfinals. The World No. 5 advanced to her first Indian Wells semifinal and third final four of the year. The 30-year-old American has not lost a match on the Hologic WTA Tour since her first tournament of the year in Auckland.

Indian Wells: Draws | Scores | Order of play

"I think the reality of winning as many matches as I have this early in a season hasn't ever really happened for me," Keys said,  "so I think there is definitely a lot of just kind of confidence from all those wins under your belt.

"I think it kind of gives me the confidence to, in really tight situations, just continue to go for whatever I want to."

Keys will face World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Friday for a spot in her first WTA 1000 final since winning 2019 Cincinnati. It will be a rematch of January's Australian Open final, which Keys won 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to win her first Grand Slam title and end Sabalenka's quest for a Melbourne three-peat.

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Facing Bencic for the fifth time, Keys improved to 3-2 against the Swiss with another powerful display from the baseline. Coming off two physical three-sets win over Elise Mertens and Donna Vekic in the fourth round, Keys needed just 64 minutes to become the fourth player to reach her first Indian Wells semifinal after turning 30, joining Elena Vesnina in 2017, Flavia Pennetta in 2014, and Martina Navratilova in 1990.

Keys has endured adversity with nearly every step of her career-best win streak. She goes into Friday's semifinals having won 10 three-set matches this season. In fact, she is undefeated in deciding sets. She has also found a way to deploy her first-strike gameplan in the slow and windy conditions at Indian Wells. 

"It's been a little bit of a strange year here," Keys said. "Obviously always kind of prepared for the wind, but it's been hot and then cold and then rain. So it's definitely been a little bit of everything.

"But to be expected sometimes, so just kind of have to deal with it and roll with whatever the day is giving you."