Angelique Kerber, of Germany, poses with the championship trophy the day after winning the women’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in NY.
Advertisement
Pliskova hits a new career high of sixth after her run in NY, while former number one Caroline Wozniacki is back in the top 30 at 29th after reaching the last four. She’s been just playing great this year.
Pliskova said she felt no sadness in defeat.
“Amazing to win a second Grand Slam in one year”, Kerber said. “It means so much”.
The Australian Open back in January was where Kerber not only made her first Grand Slam final but won her first championship.
Djokovic, playing in his 21st major singles final and seventh in NY, was quickest out of the blocks to take the first set.
When Pliskova’s final forehand sailed out, Kerber launched on a joyous celebration, climbing into the box where coach Torben Beltz was sitting, then returning to the court where the tears flowed.
Kerber took advantage of Pliskova’s big-match nerves-evidenced by a couple of misses at the net-to break in the opening game.
Kerber won the first set of Saturday’s U.S. Open final 6-3 over Karolina Pliskova.
Kerber is an unlikely replacement, as at 28 she’s hardly a newcomer to the sport, yet has never risen to the top ranking until now.
Angelique Kerber has admitted that she was determined to live up to her own expectation levels by beating Karolina Pliskova in Saturday’s US Open final.
Kerber, who defeated Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to add the NY crown to the one she claimed in January in Melbourne, now plans a two-week tennis break.
Kerber said her improved fitness and mental strength had been key to her success.
The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd roared, and Kerber celebrated by raising her right hand and wagging her index finger in the air, as if to remind Pliskova – and the world – “I’m No. 1!”
“I can not play 30 times across the net”.
“It’s just incredible what I did this year”.
As they went to the third set, both women began showing more emotion.
When Monday’s new rankings come out it will show her at No 1, and by quite some distance, with 8730 points to the 7050 of Serena Williams.
While Li, who was 29 when she won the 2011 French Open, bowed out in a 2014 season that saw her win the Australian Open, Kerber indicated she is just getting started.
Kerber spent two weeks at Flushing Meadows listening to – and trying to block out – questions about another opportunity to overtake Williams for the top spot. Prior to the US Open triumph she had won silver at the Rio Games and finished second-best at the Cincinnati ATP Open. It ignores all other tournament results, which make up the majority of a professional player’s season.
Coming from a tennis family, she first picked up a racquet at the age of three. (As an opponent) you can not do much from it.
“We all know that the last game wasn’t great, but it’s so hard against her”, Pliskova said.
Advertisement
“There aren’t many left-handed girls in the top 100, so there is no time where you can practice against a lefty”.
