“She had an attitude that I think a lot of people can learn from, just to always stay positive and to never give up”, Williams told reporters.
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“Right now I don’t have pressure anymore”, Kerber said, reports The Age.
Kerber’s victory means that Williams will have to wait until the French Open in the spring for another shot at her record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title. She is human. Sometimes we forget.
The 34-year-old is facing Angelique Kerber at the finals of the Australian Open, and Serena Williams is the favorite to come out on top as she won the last three out of four Grand Slams last year.
In the thrilling decisive set, Kerber was engaged in a long battle with Serena in the ninth game that features some high quality tennis and the tenacity of both women.
SERENA Williams takes on German Angelique Kerber in the women’s singles final on Rod Laver Arena on day 13 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
The most hard match for Serena was surprisingly enough, the opening match at the Australian Open, where she dropped nine games.
“This is probably the best slam I’ve played in a year”, she said, as reported by BBC. She also preserved Graf’s Open Era record – Williams would have tied it had she won the title on Saturday night.
“The feeling I have I think it’s more proud, proud about my team, my family, my friends”, Kerber said.
An out-of-sorts Williams was hitting too many errors, but holding for 2-3 seemed to temporarily flip a switch in the American who broke back. I’m so happy for you.
She also becomes the first German to win the Australian Open title since Steffi Graf in 1994.
Kerber said when she walked along Melbourne’s Yarra River on Friday morning, joggers had recognised her – a new experience. “What’s after two is one, so I guess I better be careful”.
“I’m just happy. I have so many emotions it’s like insane”. “But I didn’t think I’d be doing so much, so fast”.
It was all she needed as she served out easily to force a decider.
“If she’s able to do so, right now I don’t see one player in the world who can beat her”.
The good news for Angelique Kerber is she is in her first grand slam final.
Then it was back to praising Kerber, the No. 6 who wil be the world No. 2 on Monday, the German having broken through at major level at the relatively advanced age of 28.
Kerber had only ever beaten Williams once – in 2012 – in six career meetings, and was coming off a shaky start to the tournament when she had to save a match point in her first-round win over Misaki Doi.
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Williams took the rest of the season off to rest niggling injuries and deal with the disappointment of missing the grand slam achievement.
