That’s the best of my career.
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Kerber, who beat Pliskova in three sets in NY, having secured the top spot days earlier following Serena Williams’ exit, said her improved fitness and mental strength had been key to her success. But she was already guaranteed of top spot when Pliskova saw off Williams in the semi-finals.
“I was always dreaming to being one day to being No. 1 and to be in the Grand Slams”, she said.
Furthermore, before NY, the world No. 11 had never progressed beyond the third round of a Grand Slam tournament in 17 attempts.
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. From the semifinals of the Rogers Cup, Kerber went to Rio for the Olympic tennis event, where she came away with a silver medal.
Kerber’s final round was a nail-biting 3-3 deciding set. The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd roared and Kerber celebrated by raising her right hand and wagging her index finger in the air as she took the opening set. On the contrary, Pliskova was all pumped after winning the second, and stretching the title-decider to the final set.
Kerber admires compatriot Steffi Graf, but is blazing her own trail.
Sure enough, Kerber broke Pliskova twice in the first set, including in the first game of the match en route to a quick 2-0 lead. Pliskova had never even made a Grand Slam round of 16 before this tournament, but she upset Serena Williams in the semifinals to advance to Saturday’s championship match.
“I mean, definitely, I would say now that she deserves to be No. 1”.
And the example Kerber sets for any young person is remarkable.
“We both felt the demanding match that we played, but he came out on top, he was the better player, tougher mentally”.
“I think that was the key at the end of the third set, that I was trying to take the chance, just go for it”.
Pliskova couldnt maintain the advantage.
But this was Kerber’s turn to show some mettle, breaking back to 3-3 and then once again to seal the victory. “It was always my goal to pass the third round and I made it to the final”.
“It was just the next step to beat the best players”, she said. “Angie proved she is the number one, it was an honor to play her”. Garbiñe Muguruza, who looked like a world beater after her Roland Garros breakthrough, crashed out at Wimbledon and the US Open. Too many unforced errors in a single game, and Pliskova had a break handed to her on a platter. Even after her capitulation in the final game, Pliskova said she had no regrets.
“I can not play 30 times across the net”.
“And I don’t know, just tell them, just believe in yourself and do what you really love”. “That’s what I changed, especially in the pre-season”.
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Then she reached the finals of the US Open against Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova.
