WTA: Kerber mercilessly via Cibulkova to Sydney semi-final

Angelique Kerber’s triumphant march of victory continues: The German number two beat Dominika Cibulkova in Sydney in two sets and is already in the semi-finals.

6:3 and 6:1 against Dominika Cibulkova after 82 minutes: Angelique Kerber remains untouchable in the 2018 tennis year – and is thus already in the semi-finals of the WTA tournament in Sydney. The former world number one will either play Agnieszka Radwanska or Camila Giorgi from Italy, who has already beaten Petra Kvitova and US Open winner Sloane Stephens in the course of the tournament.

In their first two matches Kerber had to go over three sets each, starting a comeback after losing the first set. Both against Lucie Safarova and Venus Williams there was no doubt about the winner: Angelique Kerber.

This means that the two-time major champion will be holding her own in a total of seven matches in 2018 – even though her four matches were not won on the WTA Tour, but “only” at the Hopman Cup. Kerber had beaten the revived Belinda Bencic in Perth or, for example, Elise Mertens from Belgium, who finished fourth in Hobart this week.

Daria Gavrilova and Ashleigh Barty are also already in the Sydney semi-finals. Gavrilova benefited from the injury-related withdrawal of tournament favourite Garbine Muguruza, while Barty prevailed over Barbora Strycova in two sets. The two Australians will meet on Friday in the preliminary round.

Here the single tableau of the ladies in Sydney