BRISBANE (AFP) - Angelique Kerber brushed aside the challenge of Carla Suarez Navarro to move into the final of the season-opening Brisbane International tennis tournament on Friday.

The German fourth seed was simply too strong for her Spanish opponent, taking 75 minutes to win 6-2, 6-3.

Kerber is the highest seed left in the tournament after the injury withdrawals of Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza and Maria Sharapova.

She was always in control of the semi-final, constantly attacking Suarez Navarro's serve while winning her own with ease.

The pressure told on the Spaniard, who lost her serve early in both sets and then struggled to stay in touch.

"I came here to have a lot of matches," Kerber said. "Right now I'm in the final, so that's not bad.

"When you start the season you don't know exactly where you're standing. You don't know how the others are playing and how the others worked in the last few weeks.

"I can just say that I'm feeling good - I'm feeling better every match." Kerber said she had worked hard on her serve in the off-season and that was paying dividends this week.

"I'm feeling that the serve is also a little bit faster," she said. "Also I'm trying to go for it with my second serve, not only pushing the ball.

"Of course that needs time, but I think I'm on the way."

Kerber will play either two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka or American qualifier Samantha Crawford in Saturday's final.