Angelique Kerber is enjoying a new lease of life in 2018 and spoke of her regained confidence after defeating Karolina Pliskova at the Dubai Tennis Championships. The German produced a fine display in their last-eight meeting on Thursday, losing just eight points on her first serve en route to a 6-4 6-3 success and a third semi-final in four outings this year.

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Kerber's star back on the rise

Having enjoyed a stellar 2016 which yielded Australian and US Open glory, Kerber endured a torrid 2017, failing to go beyond the fourth round at any slam while losing her only WTA Tour final to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the Monterrey Open.

It has been a different story this season, however, Kerber following up her Sydney International victory with a run to the last four of the Australian Open, and the world number nine has another semi-final to look forward to on Friday.