NEW YORK — India's Ramkumar Ramanathan and American Tim Smyczek, each hoping to reach his first ATP singles final, advanced to the semifinals of the Hall of Fame Open grasscourt tournament Thursday.

Ramanathan surrendered only seven points on his first serve over 78 minutes in defeating Canada's Vasek Pospisil 7-5, 6-2 and Smyczek held off Taiwan's Jason Jung 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in quarterfinal matches at Newport, Rhode Island.

World No. 123 Smyczek, 30, has never played 161st-ranked Ramanathan, but their triumphs ensure one of them will reach his first ATP singles championship match on Sunday.

Friday's quarterfinals send US third seed Steve Johnson against Israel's 156th-ranked Dudi Sela and 124th-ranked Spaniard Marcel Granollers against French top seed Adrian Mannarino.

Ramanathan, a 23-year-old from Chennai, was 1-2 this year in ATP events until this week, when he ousted Dominican Victor Burgos 6-4, 6-1 in his opener and dispatched US eighth seed Denis Kudla 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round.

Saturday's semifinals will be staged around the International Tennis Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Czech Helena Sukova and Germany's Michael Stich.

Wimbledon champion Kerber to defend Sydney title

Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber will defend her Sydney International title in January in preparation for next year's Australian Open, organizers said Friday.

The German climbed to No. 4 in the world rankings after her 6-3, 6-3 win over Serena Williams to claim her first Wimbledon title at the All England Club last week.

Kerber, who downed Australia's Ash Barty to win this year's Sydney International final, said the tournament will be a good tune-up for the Australian Open starting in Melbourne on Jan. 14.

"Playing the Sydney International is always a great opportunity to face some top quality opposition," Kerber said in a statement.

"Every single match is really tough, so it's a great way to fine-tune my game after the off-season, and also get used to the weather conditions in Australia, which are quite different to Europe at that time of the year."

The Sydney International will take place at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Center from Jan. 6-12.

Bouchard gets wild card into Montreal WTA event

Canadian Eugenie Bouchard has received a wild card invitation into the WTA tournament in Montreal next month, one of the key hard court tune-ups for the US Open.

"Eugenie is currently showing great things and we hope that she can keep her momentum going in Montreal," tournament director Eugene Lapierre said in a statement on Friday.

"She gave fans a great show back in April when she got two important wins at the most recent Fed Cup tie. We cannot wait to see her in action at home once again."

Organizers said Bouchard would play on the opening day of main draw action, Monday, Aug. 6. Bouchard, 24, reached the semi-finals of the WTA tournament in Gstaad on Friday.

The 146th-ranked Canadian played the Wimbledon final four years ago but has since suffered through season after season of disappointment and a tumbling ranking. At Wimbledon this year she emerged from qualifying but fell in the second round. — AFP