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Angelique Kerber faces huge challenge in Johanna Konta

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 25: Angelique Kerber of Germany serves in her semi-final match against Simona Halep of Romania on day 11 of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 25: Angelique Kerber of Germany serves in her semi-final match against Simona Halep of Romania on day 11 of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) /
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Angelique Kerber is a former runner-up at the Qatar Total Open. She is also off to a hot start on the 2018 WTA Tour as she takes on a challenge next.

Angelique Kerber has seen early success so far in 2018. After a strong showing at the Hopman Cup, she would take the title in Sydney. The former world No. 1 is already proving that she belongs atop the rankings yet again. Kerber would reach the semifinals at the Australian Open before her play this week at the Qatar Ladies Open.

Defeating Samantha Stosur in straight sets, Kerber advances and will face British tennis star Johanna Konta next. Kerber takes down Stosur with ease, going 6-4, 6-1.

Konta is the No. 10 seed this week while Kerber is the No. 8. Neither can take their meeting lightly. Both players have surged in the past year and while Kerber appears red hot as of late, Konta is fresh off of a match win over Carla Suarez Navarro.

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Angelique Kerber is seeking to reach career heights again.

A win over Konta could solidify an impressive first two months to the 2018 WTA Tour. Falling to Romanian tennis star Simona Halep in the semifinals at Melbourne Park, Kerber came up just short of her former title run at the Grand Slam event. Halep is also in action this week. She wins her opener with ease and is the second seed at the Qatar Ladies Open.

Top seed Caroline Wozniacki wins her opener in straight sets.

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Look for Angelique Kerber to be a slight favorite in her meeting with Johanna Konta. Anything can happen, however, with two of the best in women’s singles tennis going at it tomorrow. If Kerber can advance, she will hope to continue on toward her second singles title on the year. She is off to the exact start she needed in 2018 and she should make a run higher into the singles rankings in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to see how the action unfolds tomorrow at the Qatar Total Open. Check back for updates on all of the action between Kerber and Konta and elsewhere at the WTA Tour Premier 5 event in Doha, Qatar.

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