SYDNEY — Top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska advanced to the Sydney International final Thursday, running her 2013 winning streak to eight matches with a 6-3, 6-4 win over former French Open champion Li Na. Radwanska, who lost last year's Wimbledon final to Serena Williams, won in Auckland last week and will go into next week's Australian Open as the fourth-seeded player. She said she felt little 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 matches, unseeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa beat Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-3 and will play Julien Benneteau of France in the semifinals Friday. Benneteau beat American qualifier Ryan Harrison 6-4, 6-2. Bernard Tomic of Australia, who beat No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic at the Hopman Cup two weeks ago, advanced to the semifinals with a 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-2 win over Jarkko Nieminen of Finland. Tomic's only previous tour semifinal ended in defeat against Andy Murray last January in Brisbane. “I'm ready to go for 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 it. To get the chance to play 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. — Agencies
