Djokovic claimed the 2016 Australian Open title after completing a three-set to love victory as Kerber stunned Serena Williams, beating her 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in an exhilarating contest.
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Kerber defied the odds to win 6-4 3-6 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena and prevent Williams from clinching a record-equalling 22nd grand slam crown.
Seeing off surprise semifinalist Johanna Konta to reach her first major final, Kerber played stellar tennis and held her nerve against Williams, stopping her from tying countrywoman Steffi Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles.
From the 2014 U.S. Open to Wimbledon in 2015, Serena played arguably the best tennis of her career, winning her second Serena Slam (four consecutive Grand Slam championships) and was poised to win her first calendar Grand Slam if she won the 2015 U.S. Open Championship, a title she had won the previous three years.
“You know, when I won the first set, when I won against Azarenka, that showed me that I really am a good player and I can show it as well on the big courts”, she said.
She led Williams in the ace count until the latter stages, limiting her to just seven overall, while the American racked up 46 errors to just 13 by Kerber. Now I have beaten Serena and won the championship.
She had never gone beyond the semis at a major before but with a Grand Slam title now next to her name, she said it felt like a new chapter had begun. I returned the ball but I knew my return was not so long, so she was going forward to the net.
“I was with one leg in the plane for Germany”, she cried.
For Serena Williams, poor serving and an opponent with nothing to lose led to her first big loss in a finals since 2011.
Serena Williams suffered a shock defeat in the Australian Open final to Angelique Kerber. “Once it got started, it was so intense from the beginning till the end that I didn’t really have time to be nervous”.
And so, commiserations to the American, who will be eager to bounce back at the French Open in May, but, most important of all, congratulations to Angelique Kerber, the 2016 Australian Open champion who well and truly deserves it. Of Kerber she said: “She played so well”.
The 28-year-old Kerber had a chance to serve for the match at 5-3 in the third, but Williams broke back. “She is inspiring a lot of people”. No. But today this is what I could produce. Right now the Germans are on the right path to make tennis more popular again – with the grand slam title from me and we have so many good players.
Novak Djokovic is chasing history on Sunday night, aiming to join Roy Emerson as the only six-time Australian Open champion.
“I mean, you must be relaxed and you must really believe in yourself”.
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“I kept picking the wrong shots coming into it. But, honestly, it’s something to learn from, just to try to get better”.
