“I’m ready to have this pressure on my shoulder, because I think I get used to all of this, especially after my first Grand Slam in Australia”, said Kerber.
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The German held on to her lead courtesy of some gritting forehand winners time and again and was just 1 set away from her 2nd Grand Slam title and her maiden US Open title. Angelique Kerber successfully converted one of her two break point chances while not allowing Karolina Pliskova a single break point opportunity throughout her match-tying frame. Both the players were tiring at this point, and it was a tad more evident on Pliskova as she tried to keep the points short.
Early in what would become a tight test of a U.S. Open final, Angelique Kerber sprinted forward to somehow reach a drop shot and scoop a down-the-line victor that landed in a corner of the court.
On Saturday, Kerber trailed by a break at 3-1 in the third set before coming back against the 10th-seeded Pliskova, who hadn’t been past the third round at a major until this tournament. “It all started for me here in NY five years ago when I reached the semi-finals and now I am here with the trophy”, she added. The German star has featured in three of the year’s Grand Slam finals (winning two) and was also a silver medallist at the Olympic Games. She’ll always remember the 2011 U.S. Open as “the turnaround” of her career.
Through it all Kerber has maintained her down to earth demeanor. She has more experience to play those finals than me so probably decided in this match. I did everything this year. Subsequently she announced that she was pregnant and due to give birth at the end of the year, and intends to be back next season at some point. From six feet behind the sidelines, Kerber launched both feet off the ground and into the ball, breaking the deadlock with a whistling forehand victor up the line.
Kerber has kept in close touch with Graf and says she received a text from her before her latest success. “Now just to go for it and making the mistakes I make like a lot of times before”.
“I had so much pressure after the title”. I knew that I have the game to beat the best players and just being patient and working really hard.
This was the ultimate clash between the 10th seeded and 2nd seeded players. Never take anything for granted.
Unlike a categorical retriever like Caroline Wozniacki, Kerber did counter and punch back from defence. “It’s going to just kill me, and I will not, in the end, even win it”.
But the overall explanation is more complicated. I learned a lot on the mental side and everything came together now. Some evidence was provided in the wake of Kerber’s victory as journalists pushed her in the direction of their own narratives. She produced one forehand victor after another and broke the Czech’s serve twice, while holding onto her own serves, to put the pressure right back on Pliskova, who now had to serve to stay in the match. In response to such questions, some players will openly admit to their doubts while others will lie.
There were plenty of lengthy exchanges in that first set, and Kerber tended to get the better of them, winning 9 of 14 points that lasted at least 10 strokes. I’m always motivated when I’m stepping on court, but this is what I’m loving. “And like my team, as well”.
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I found out I can play against the best players in the world on the big courts, Pliskova added. She also finished runners-up in Wimbledon. She crashed out of the first round of the French Open, going home to Germany to spend time with her family and work more with coach Torben Beltz, and her new fitness trainer, Cathrin Junker.
