Karolina Pliskova: Pliskova broke through in a big way this summer, halting Kerber’s quest to become No.1 in the final of the Western & Southern Open to win the biggest title of her young career.
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Kerber takes home the winners’ cheque for 3.5million United States dollars and becomes the first woman, other than Williams, to win two grand slams in a year since Justine Henin in 2007.
She turned professional and another dozen years passed before her first grand slam title at this year’s Australian Open.
Kerber not only won the title but she will now rise up to the first ranking on Monday. Also, how I was dealing with the pressure when I came here and everybody was asking me about the No. 1 number, actually.
This has been a cathartic, remarkable season for the 28-year-old German.
The present could not be brighter for the left-handed Kerber, the first woman from Germany to win the U.S. Open – and to get to No. 1 – since her idol and mentor, Steffi Graf.
If Serena Williams had been crowned champion, the American would have overtaken Graf’s Open-era best 22 grand slam titles as well as her unbeaten 186 consecutive weeks at number one.
Pliskova, 24, had never been beyond the third round at a major before, but her run in NY included wins over both Williams sisters.
Kerber had some early trouble getting her serves to hit properly, and she managed to avoid having her serve broken three times, committing just three unforced errors and taking the set 6-3.
The 28-year-old has returned the favour in NY as her victory preserves two of Graf’s long-lasting records. Yes, she is. And a two-time Grand Slam champion, too.
“I’m really trying to play more intense when I practice. and spending a lot of hours as well in the gym or just making a lot of sprints and movement. These are all very positive signs, and despite leaving NY in the quarterfinals, Halep should be very pleased with the progress she’s made over the summer”.
“And also, mentally, to being more positive, a little bit more stronger, and just focusing on the moment I am on court”.
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The first was a walk in the park for Kerber as it seemed the nerves of being in the final at Flushing Meadows had caught up with the power-serving 6-foot-1 Czech player. It was not so easy because Karolina is a tough opponent and she was up a break early. “My body language was not the best and I was trying to change it in the third”. I beat very good players.
