As a dad, you always want you little girl’s dreams to come true. From then on, Williams did not appear or play any matches at Indian Wells, even going as far to say “I’m not going to be playing at Indian Wells…” From 4-4 in the third set, Kerber won the final eight points of the match. She had never been past the third round at a major. Serving at 3-5, Pliskova double-faulted to give Kerber a set point, and the German smacked a running forehand up the line to capture the first set.
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It was not going to be an easy final match for Kerber, as her opponent Pliskova had defeated both Venus and Serena Williams en route to her first career Grand Slam final match.
The 28-year-old also climbs above Serena Williams on Monday to become world number one, with the American’s 186-week reign at the top ended by her defeat to Pliskova in the semi-finals.
Now the German needed to beat the woman who stunned Serena in the semifinals to capture her first U.S. Open crown.
“I look forward to a lie in, to eat well, meet with friends and family and to just put the tennis racquet down in the corner”, she told reporters after landing in Munich.
The 28-year-old had the opportunity to displace Serena Williams from the number one position when she took on the Czech player in the final of the Cincinnati Masters in August 2016. “I will still try to improve my game because I know I can still improve my serve [and] a few things in my game”.
“I beat very good players”. Kerber won the Australian Open title and was the runner-up at Wimbledon. Graf went on to complete the Grand Slam that year – all four majors – and an Olympic gold medal.
The match ran 2 hours, 7 minutes with Kerber holding a narrow 97-90 margin in points.
But while Williams will do all she can to get back her number one ranking, which she had held since February 2013, Kerber will be keen to make it her own for as long as she can hold it. “This is actually nothing new to me; but that I’m really trying to go for it whenever I have the chance and not just pushing the ball and being more aggressive”, explained Angelique Kerber about how she plays some of her best tennis by staying calm and focused when a particular situation required it.
Pliskova had never gone past the third round of a major tournament before but she pushed her opponent all the way with her power from the baseline and blistering serve.
However, the German would break back for 3-all, and then broke to love in the tenth and final game to take the match in three sets, and thus win her second Grand Slam title. Angelique Kerber also had the lead on the breakers; breaking Pliskova two times in three break point opportunities.
Williams certainly didn’t think losing her No. 1 ranking made for a nice change. And when she fell behind a break early in the third and deciding set at Arthur Ashe Stadium, it seemed as it if she would do just that.
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Wawrinka is used to chasing lost causes against Djokovic, coming back from losing the first set to win their 2014 Australian Open quarter-final and again at Roland Garros a year ago. Having won the Australian Open title earlier this year and after finishing runner-up at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics, the German sealed the World no 1 spot with her triumph in NY.
