Radwanska continues roll, makes Sydney final

SYDNEY — Top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska has advanced to the Sydney International final, running her 2013 winning streak to eight matches with a 6-3, 6-4 win on Thursday over former French Open champion Li Na.

Radwanska, who lost in last year's Wimbledon final to Serena Williams, won the Auckland WTA tournament last week and goes into next week's Australian Open as the fourth-seeded player.

The Pole wasn't feeling pressure to extend her winning streak.

"Actually when I was going on court, of course if I win, great; if not, I mean, not that big deal because I really had a lot of matches here and in Auckland," she said. "I'm really ready for the Australian Open. It's always hard to say, but I think of course winning two tournaments in a row is a good thing."

Radwanska will play Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in Friday's final. Cibulkova beat second-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

In men's action, young Australian Bernard Tomic took a major step toward winning his first career ATP Tour title by downing defending champion Jarkko Nieminen.

The 20-year-old, ranked 64th, clawed back from dropping the opening set to oust the Finn, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-2 in a night quarter-final.

Tomic will take on either Italian third seed Andreas Seppi or Spanish eighth seed Marcel Granollers in Friday's semi.

Tomic's only previous tour semifinal ended in defeat against Andy Murray last January in Brisbane.

"I'm ready to go for tomorrow's semifinal," Tomic said. "I'm really confident now and I got a shot to get into the final for the first time in my career."

"So the next match is a big match and I'm going to do everything I can to win tomorrow.

"To get the chance to play (my) first Tour event final and to do it in Australia is going to be unbelievable, but I've got to play two quality players to do so."

The towering Kevin Anderson earlier Thursday became the first South African to reach the Sydney semifinals in nine years with victory over Denis Istomin.

The 36th-ranked Anderson accounted for the Uzbek 6-4, 6-3 in 84 minutes and will face last year's finalist Julien Benneteau of France in Friday's last four.

The last South African to reach the final four was Wayne Ferreira.

Benneteau, who lost to Nieminen in last year's final, was too strong for American qualifier Ryan Harrison, winning 6-4, 6-2.

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