Radwanska continues hot start, wins 8th in a row

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 Thursday

Agnieszka Radwanska will play Dominika Cibulkova in the Sydney final :: Matt King/Getty Images

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 Thursday over former French Open champion Li Na.

Radwanska, who lost 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 matches, unseeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa beat Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-3 and will play Julien Benneteau of France in the semifinals on 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.