The German athlete had a stellar performance at the U.S. Open, winning her second of two grand slams this year, becoming the first German woman to win the U.S. Open since 1996, and identifying her as an emerging athlete to watch in the sport.
Advertisement
The German won the title on Saturday, beating Czech’s Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
It all started for me here in NY five years ago when I reached the semi-finals and now I am here with the trophy.
Indeed it has been a stellar year for Kerber, who opened her grand slam account at the Australian Open by defeating Williams, made the final at Wimbledon – losing to Williams – and won silver at the Rio Olympics last month.
“This what’s happened in the last two weeks, it’s just incredible”.
It means Kerber has a realistic chance of hoisting more grand slam trophies in the future but she insists Williams is still the player to beat.
“Pliskova, who arrived at Flushing Meadows with the reputation of Grand Slam under-achiever having never before been beyond the third round of the major, shed that label by making it all the way to the final and taking on back-to-back world number ones”.
“Definitely I found out that I can my best tennis on the biggest stage against the top players”, said Pliskova, who will rise to No6 in the world.
“Also, how I was dealing with the pressure when I came here and everybody was asking me about the number one”.
Pliskova was the first player to take a set off Kerber at Flushing Meadows. She lost but has had an excellent summer and a very good season which she will look to keep going in the fall. Towards the end of the set, Pliskova was forced to be creative, employing a drop shot because she was frustrated at not being able to hit through Kerber’s watertight defence.
Though Pliskova prefers blistering ground strokes to the serve-and-volley game that defined past Czech champions such as Martina Navratilova and Helena Sukova, her serve remains her biggest weapon. Kerber finally prevailed 6-3 4-6 6-4.
Kerber admires compatriot Steffi Graf, but is blazing her own trail. “I was just trying to take the challenge”. Either way, the decision worked: Pliskova double-faulted on the match’s first point and got broken from the get-go. “It was my first final”.
The 10th-seeded Pliskova had never even been to the round of 16 at a major before she blew past that milestone at the U.S. Open. I have to be the one who is aggressive.
“All my dreams came true today and I’m just trying to enjoy the moment”, Kerber said after the match. But she was already guaranteed of top spot when Pliskova saw off Williams in the semi-finals.
The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd roared, and Kerber celebrated by raising her right hand and wagging her index finger in the air, as if to remind Pliskova – and the world – “I’m No. 1!”
Advertisement
“I’m feeling much more confident now in my skin and how I am and how to walk”, Kerber, the oldest player to debut at No. 1, told Nguyen.
