Kerber had advanced to her maiden US Open final shortly after becoming the world’s top-ranked player for the first time, defeating Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 on Friday in a semi-final battle of two of the best retrievers and movers on the WTA Tour.
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Nonetheless, Kerber has emerged as a legitimate rival to the 34-year-old’s dominance, having become the first woman, apart from Williams, to win two grand slams in a calendar year since Justine Henin in 2007. She conjured her best when it mattered most and tapped into reserves of energy and will as a determined opponent in the form of her career wilted in the oppressive NY humidity.
I mean, she has more experience to play those finals than me so [that] probably decided this match.
It certainly seemed improbable when Kerber finished 2015 ranked 10th in the world.
Angelique Kerber would have inherited the No1 ranking from Serena Williams on Monday even if she had lost Saturday’s US Open final. The 24-year-old Czech upset Williams in the semifinals, as well as her sister Venus in the quarterfinals.
Kerber wiped tears of joy and relief from her eyes before accepting a winner’s cheque for $3.5 million and a gleaming silver trophy after fighting back to beat Karolina Pliskova in a display worthy of the new number one player in women’s tennis. Pliskova was the first player to take a set off Kerber at Flushing Meadows. The match was taken place on Saturday.
Kerber’s success, based on hard work, ought to encourage plenty of other players.
Talking to USOpen.org, Kerber said that the trophy meant a lot to her.
The German won the title on Saturday, beating Czech’s Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Kerber had lost her first set of the tournament, and when Pliskova continued the momentum to lead 3-1 in the decider and Kerber clearly looked tense, the upset was on.
The tall Czech settled down and held a pair of break points in the fourth game but Germany’s Australian Open victor held serve helped by a pair of groundstroke errors by Pliskova. Her rocket to the baseline on the next point left Kerber helpless and the match was level at two sets apiece.
With some stunning winners including powerful strokes, there was an air of confidence in which the Czech star began to show her skills in the second set. “My body language was not the best and I was trying to change it in the third”. The German broke right back to keep the pressure on her opponent.
“And I don’t know, just tell them, just believe in yourself and do what you really love”.
Pliskova couldnt maintain the advantage. In the ensuing game, Kerber saved a break point with a forehand victor. Suddenly up 4-3 in the set, Pliskova turned to her coach up in the stands and yelled, pumping her fists.
Angelique Kerber says she is ready to step up her game and shoulder the pressure of being the top-ranked tennis player in the world.
Amidst the disappointment she was looking forward to building on her breakthrough Slam performance. “This is what I remember”, Kerber said.
This was the ultimate clash between the 10th seeded and 2nd seeded players.
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“I was always dreaming to being one day to being No. 1 and to be in the Grand Slams”, she said. “I played so well”. It’s gonna just kill me. “For me it’s really important to go on my own way”.
