Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrates with the trophy after defeating Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the women’s final of the 2016 U.S. Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in NY.
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The success caps a superb 12 months for Kerber, who clinched her first major triumph at the Australian Open in January, reached the Wimbledon final this summer and will become world number one on Monday.
“To be number one and win Grand Slam titles was always my dream ever since I was a little girl”, Kerber said.
Pliskova beat Kerber in the final at Cincinnati almost three weeks ago for a breakthrough title for the 24-year-old Czech, and she’s been riding that momentum ever since.
But she was assured of that spot when Pliskova toppled Williams in the semi-finals.
She’s just the fifth player to reach her first three Grand Slam finals in one year. Then Pliskova changed course, saying: “I mean, actually, I do believe it”.
Pliskova won the first of her six titles in Kuala Lumpur in 2013 before adding Seoul and Linz in 2014 and her hometown trophy in Prague in 2015.
“It was a great match tonight”, Pliskova said.
Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrates with the US Open trophy. With Kerber, it was striking how quickly she shut down the notion of doubt.
Williams, who refused to answer questions about the rankings, and Graf also share the mark for most Grand Slam titles since 1968, when professionals were first admitted to majors.
Kerber, who won the first set 6-3, was put on the defensive as the big-hitting Pliskova, appearing in her first grand slam final, began striking the ball more confidently and consistently.
When the Czech served to stay in the match Kerber hit a forehand victor down the line on the first point before Pliskova made three successive errors.
She held steady with her nerves and closed out the set when Kerber sailed a forehand wide on set point.
“In the second set, I found some power”, Pliskova said.
Play remained tight in the third with an increasingly confident Pliskova getting the early break to go up 3-1.
Pliskova said she felt no sadness in defeat. I was still trying to be aggressive.
Pliskova couldn’t maintain the advantage.
But this was Kerber’s turn to show some mettle, breaking back to 3-all and again to end it.
Unfortunately for Pliskova – always outwardly calm on court – she couldn’t handle the pressure of serving to stay in the contest.
“It was a great match tonight”, said Pliskova.
“You know, to be the next German number one in the world after Steffi [Graf], it is really special”. It could go the other way.
In the end, however, her 47 unforced errors – a effect of her big-hitting approach – compared to Kerber’s meagre 17 proved her undoing.
Amidst the disappointment she was looking forward to building on her breakthrough Slam performance. “I think she has good years ahead, and it’s the right time to play good now and to keep the confidence for the next big tournaments”.
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Pliskova may be the underdog but she is also the player in form, having out-gunned Williams to seal her 11th win in a row.
