Former Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber believes she will head into next week’s grand slam invigorated by her run deep into this week’s Sydney International.
Kerber, who began last year as No.1 before finishing at No.22, continued her 2018 resurgence with a resounding 6-3 6-1 quarter-final win over Dominika Cibulkova.
The German will meet the winner of the last remaining quarter-final between defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska and qualifier Camila Giorgi.
It is the seventh-straight win for the two-time grand slam winner, having triumphed in four matches at last week’s Hopman Cup in Perth before reeling off three victories in a row in Sydney.
Kerber has welcomed the run of form ahead of the Melbourne Park major, where she will be just one of two former champions in the draw along with Maria Sharapova.
“This start is not bad for 2018, for sure. Still, I’m just trying to focus on every match, trying to learn from every single match,” she said.
“Being now in the semis again here, it’s really a good feeling, especially that I had the goal, to have a lot of matches before going to Melbourne.”
The 29-year-old, who defeated Venus Williams in her opening match in Sydney, was wary of declaring herself back to her all-conquering form of 2016.
That year, she claimed the Australian and US open crowns.
“It’s just the beginning of the year, so it’s tough to say. But I’m feeling good – I’m healthy. I was working hard in the last few weeks,” she said.
“So now, I just am trying to playing like I played years before and enjoying it again.”
Kerber on Thursday drew fellow German Anna-Lena Friedsam for her opening match in Melbourne in a quarter that includes Sharapova, Garbine Muguruza and Anastasija Sevastova.
She insisted Friedsam would be a tricky first-up opponent.
“She was injured the last few months, so, yeah, she’s a big hitter, as well. So I think it doesn’t matter against who you play. I think you have to be ready from the first round,” she said.
The other semi-final in Sydney will be an all-Australian affair between Ashleigh Barty and Daria Gavrilova.
