Facing an opponent who occasionally played as if he had somewhere better to be, Novak Djokovic reached his 21st Grand Slam final and seventh at the U.S. Open with a freakish 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Gael Monfils on Friday. “Now, especially, after the win against Serena”, Kerber said about Pliskova. “It doesn’t happen often that you’re in the final of Grand Slams”.
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Jamie Murray of Britain and Bruno Soares of Brazil won the U.S. Open doubles championship Saturday for their second Grand Slam title this year, beating Spaniards Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-3. “I’ll do anything for getting the title”, Pliskova said. I know she has a big serve. I wasn’t at 100 per cent, but I also think she played well.
Pliskova had never gone past the third round of a major tournament before and insists Williams’ injury does not take the gloss off her achievement.
However, the night at Flushing Meadows ended up with a jubilant Kerber showing her class to dispose of Wozniacki.
“I will try to take revenge against her”, Kerber said. “I’m starting to move out of the shadows”. When you’re injured you’re thinking of other things when you should be just playing and thinking of your shots. But it was what it was.
“I don´t know if I was like prepared for this, but I think I played incredible year”.
However it is hard to argue against Pliskova being the more impressive of the two, given her win over Serena Williams. No visible nerves in her first major final.
“I’m just happy with my win, and I’m not gonna think about something like this”.
In doing so, she protects another of her compatriot’s records as Williams was left tied with Graf on 186 consecutive weeks at the top of the charts.
Played in her first grand slam tournament at the 2012 French Open where she came through qualifying before losing to world number eight Marion Bartoli in the first round. Moments later, she trailed 3-1. “But at the end of the day, I don’t think it would have made a difference”. “That’s a final of a Grand Slam, so anything is possible”.
Williams would have broken Steffi Graf’s Open era record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles by winning the tournament here. “So it’s something really special for me”.
And Williams remains even with Chris Evert with six U.S. Open trophies.
Kerber is seeded No. 2, but already is assured of overtaking Serena Williams at No. 1 in the rankings on Monday, regardless of the outcome of the final.
They split the first two sets, and Wawrinka is leading 4-3, on serve, in the third.
Williams broke back and consolidated for a 4-3 lead, shouting “Come on” when Pliskova sent a backhand long.
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Kerber had downplayed talk about becoming number one but admitted it felt “just great”. “That was my first match on centre court”.
