Keep up with
Newstalk ZB

Sun, 19 May 2013, 23:33

Have Your Say

Talkback 0800 80 10 80
Overseas +64 9 307 1080
Text 9292

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS
  • Sign Up

Site Search

Search Search

Select your region:

Radwanska, Cibulkova in Sydney final

Share |

Radwanska, Cibulkova in Sydney final

By: AAP | Latest Tennis News | Friday January 11 2013 7:44

 

Sixteen consecutive match wins, three tournament victories in a row and a first professional defeat of Serena Williams.

It may have sounded like pie in the sky stuff for Agnieszksa Radwanksa little more than a week ago but the Polish world No.4 is now in the kind of form that makes such a scenario not beyond contemplation.

Radwanska's fine start to the year continued on Thursday when she swept aside China's Li Na 6-3 6-4 to progress to the final of the Sydney International.

She'll meet Dominika Cibulkova in Friday night's decider, the Slovak having upset Germany's Angelique Kerber in the other semi-final 6-2 4-6 6-3.

Including her tournament victory in Auckland last week Radwanska has gone undefeated in eight matches, another in Sydney on Friday and a run through the Australian Open - as tough an ask as it is - would give her 16.

"I wish," she said with a smile when the scenario was painted for her on Thursday at Olympic Park.

Yet the 2012 Wimbledon runner-up hardly dismissed her chances.

"Actually today when I was going on court, you know, 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. But I always go on court to win. I will do of course everything to win that match tomorrow as well, and we'll see.

"I wish to win 16 matches in a row. It's always hard to say, but I think of course winning two tournaments in a row is a good thing."

Williams will go in as a hot favourite for the Australian Open but Radwanska has impressed.

Not just with her results, but the quality of her play.

As such she is starting to look like one of the next line of players capable of winning the Australian Open after Williams who holds a 4-0 WTA record against her.

Cibulkova, who becomes just the fifth unseeded woman to make a final here since 1990, needed to dig in to overcome perhaps the most improved player of 2012, Kerber.

Adopting an attacking mindset from the outset, Cibulkova lifted after dropping the second set to record her third consecutive win against the German.

She faces that record in reverse when she takes on the top seed in the final.

"I think our last meeting was maybe three, four (years ago). I don't remember when was it last time," the world No.15 said.

"But now it's a little bit different story. It's a final. I haven't played her for a long time and she's a great player. She's playing a lot with her head. She's using, trying to use everything on the court.

"So let's see if my game is going to be good enough tomorrow."

Photo: Getty Images

 

Related Subjects

Sydney International |

 

Latest Tennis News

Advertisement
Mike Hosking Breakfast
Advertisement
  • Union man for Maori Party in Ikaroa-Rawhiti

  • Packed to the Rafters star in horror crash

  • Another heat incident on Boeing's Dreamliner

  • Becks retiring for his kids?

  • Billy Harris: parents should k ...

  • Megan Singleton: Western Austr ...

  • Dan Wootton: a Eurovision part ...

  • Kevin James: magic in the stud ...

  • Friday-Budget Passion

  • Thursday-Topless Research

  • Wednesday-Gilmore So Gone

  • Tuesday-Unconventional Centre

National Convention Centre

Do you support the Government's deal with SkyCity over the National Convention Centre

Vote Now

View Results