It’s finals weekend at the US Open, as new World No.1 Angelique Kerber looks to solidify her spot atop the WTA rankings with a second Grand Slam title.
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Pliskova upset a hobbled Williams in the first semifinal Thursday, which clinched No. 1 for Kerber – who was doing all she could not to think about ascending to the top of the rankings as she prepared to take the court.
There, she made it to the finals and would have earned the ranking had she won, but it was Pliskova who she faced and Pliskova who she lost to in straight sets. “I think she’s proud of me to be the next one after her”. “I was actually really exhausted because I came from Rio and I had a lot of tough matches there”, Kerber added.
NEW YORK (AP) The last time the two women’s finalists at this U.S. Open, Angelique Kerber of Germany and Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, played each other, it really was no contest. “I know the world is mean, that there is so much suffering on the planet that none of us can imagine”, she told an interviewer. Pliskova, 24, will be looking for her first Grand Slam title, while Kerber will be looking simply for revenge. For the second successive year, we will have new champion in NY.
“So I really believe now that I can beat good players, and all of the players, actually, now”. Pliskova beat both Williams sisters in this event and is now on an 11-match winning streak. Kerber, who officially takes over from Serena Williams as the world’s top ranked player on Monday, underlined her number one status displaying the heart of a champion as she fought off a fierce challenge from Czech 10th seed Pliskova on a steamy afternoon at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I played so well”.
When she’s not playing tennis, Kerber enjoys playing cards with her coach Torben Beltz.
Williams led 4-3 and 5-4 in the decider but couldn’t hang on, Pliskova taking it when Williams delivered her sixth double-fault of the match.
Kerber is the first woman from Germany to win the U.S. Open – and the first to get to No. 1 – since her idol and mentor, Steffi Graf, who got in touch via text message before the final.
Kerber blamed Olympics fatigue for that defeat and is confident she can put things right.
The changing of the guard as women’s top player also safeguarded Graf’s share of the record for most consecutive weeks at number one with Williams at 186.
Pliskova has certainly proved her mettle here, having also knocked out Venus Williams in the fourth round, but previously her success had largely come at tournaments away from the Grand Slams.
Pliskova: “Obviously if I play Kerber tomorrow I’ll know her very well”.
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Kerber said she has no plans to spend big off of her $3.5 million paycheck – the biggest in tennis. Yes, she’s four rounds further than she’s ever been at a Slam, but, if she suddenly was going to feel the pressure, it would have happened against Williams. As Kerber gets ready to wear the No 1 crown, she would love to celebrate the occasion with the US Open title.
