Australian Open champ Kerber moves into Volvo semifinals

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber moved a step closer to her second straight Volvo Car Open title, moving into the semifinals

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber moved a step closer to her second straight Volvo Car Open title, moving into the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Irina Camelia Begu on Friday.

Kerber, the top seed, won five of the last six games to win her eighth straight match on the green clay of Charleston - and top her Romanian opponent in the quarterfinals here for a second straight year.

Kerber will play either No. 7 seed Sloane Stephens or No. 14 seed Daria Kasatkina on Saturday for a spot in the championship match.

No. 5 Sara Errani is the only other seeded player remaining in the draw. She'll take on Yulia Puntintseva, the 21-year-old from Kazakhstan who ousted Venus Williams on Thursday.