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Angelique Kerber upsets Serena Williams to win Australian Open title Angelique Kerber’s upset of Serena Williams in Australian Open signals bright future
(1 day later)
MELBOURNE, Australia — Serena Williams put up both hands after sending a forehand long and high over the baseline in the first set. She wanted nothing to do with yet another unforced error in her Australian Open final against Angelique Kerber. Behind an array of devastating left-handed and drop shots, Angelique Kerber upset top-ranked Serena Williams in Melbourne on Sunday to claim the Australian Open title. The upset victory makes Kerber, at No. 7, the lowest seed to win the tournament since Williams in 2007 — Kerber’s first year playing professionally.
For the second time in as many majors, Williams fell short of equaling Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles. Though the German entered the title match as the sixth-ranked player in the world, not many were particularly hopeful in regards to her upset chances. Williams was fresh off a dominating 6-0, 6-4 win against Agnieszka Radwanska and had never lost in six previous Australian Open finals. It also didn’t help that Kerber had yet to claim a major title in her career, while Williams entered the match with a 21-4 slate in such matches and a 5-1 head-to-head advantage over the 28-year old.
No. 7-seeded Kerber had never played in a major final and had lost five of her six previous career meetings with Williams, but she responded with a stunning 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 upset win over the six-time Australian Open champion. This wasn’t even the first time in the tournament that Kerber faced long odds.
Williams had won the title every previous time she’d reached the final at Melbourne Park, and was overwhelming favorite to continue that streak against Kerber, who joked she was “one leg in the plane to Germany” when she faced match point in her first-round win over Misaki Doi. In her first match, she battled back from match point to win, then upset Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals 6-3, 7-5. (Azarenka, despite being ranked 10 spots behind Kerber, was the second favorite in the tournament behind Williams and had beaten Kerber six consecutive times since 2012.)
“I mean, every time I walk in this room, everyone expects me to win every single match, every single day of my life,” Williams said in her post-match news conference. “As much as I would like to be a robot, I’m not.” With the signature victory, Kerber could lose the underdog label, as she will vault her to the No. 2 in the world rankings, trailing only Williams.
The 28-year-old Kerber used acute angles to keep Williams guessing, tossed in two drop shots for a crucial break in the long sixth game of the third set, and continually tried to pass the 21-time major winner or forced errors at the net. Williams’s loss was her second in as many chances to tie Steffi Graf as the all-time leader in major titles at 22. Williams dropped last year’s U.S. Open semifinal to Roberta Vinci, ending her quest for a calendar-year Grand Slam.
And she had five service breaks — two in the first, and three in third set — against the top-ranked Williams, who hadn’t dropped a set in the previous six rounds. Against Kerber, Williams committed 46 unforced errors to the champion’s 13 and did not maintain the same bounce she had in the semifinal. Directly after the match, Williams was a good sport, hugging and being jovial with Kerber as she accepted her trophy. In speaking with the press later, the 34-year old took a moment to discuss her mortality in regards to her play.
“My whole life I was working really hard and now I’m here and I can say I’m a Grand Slam champion,” said Kerber, who had only reached the semifinals twice at the majors and hadn’t been beyond the quarterfinals since Wimbledon in 2012. “It sounds really crazy and unbelievable.” “I mean, every time I walk in this room, everyone expects me to win every single match, every single day of my life,” Serena said. “As much as I would like to be a robot, I’m not.”
She is the first German woman to win the Australian title since Graf in 1994, and is projected to rise to No. 2 in the rankings next week. Following the match, both players were praised by sports figures across the world, Williams for her class in defeat and Kerber for her performance:
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was quick to respond, saying “It was fascinating to see how courageously and with such nerves of steel how you prevailed against arguably the best player in the world.” Fantastic gesture after match point and such kind words = a great champion, @serenawilliams! 👏 #AusOpen — Basti Schweinsteiger (@BSchweinsteiger) January 30, 2016
And other congratulatory messages poured in. Fantastic gesture after match point and such kind words = a great champion, @serenawilliams! 👏 #AusOpen
“My phone is exploding right now,” Kerber said. “It’s so good also for German tennis. After Steffi, now somebody won a Grand Slam.” — Basti Schweinsteiger (@BSchweinsteiger) January 30, 2016
It took her 33 majors to win the title — sixth on the list for longest waits that is topped by 2015 U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta’s 49. Awesome match from you both! Congrats @AngeliqueKerber much deserved! And such a champion @serenawilliams being just as gracious in defeat. — Johanna Konta (@JoKonta91) January 30, 2016
Williams admitted previously she became nervous and was stalled for a while trying to get to 18 major titles, to equal Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova’s career marks in second spot in the Open era. For three majors, Williams didn’t reach the quarterfinals, but when she finally won her 18th, it triggered a roll of four straight major titles. Awesome match from you both! Congrats @AngeliqueKerber much deserved! And such a champion @serenawilliams being just as gracious in defeat.
Now she’s on 21. — Johanna Konta (@JoKonta91) January 30, 2016
“I was nervous before the match,” Williams said. “Once it got started, it was so intense ... I didn’t really have time to be nervous.” Well done @serenawilliams – a strong fight and wonderful class in gracious remarks after a defeat that has to sting. A champion. — Chris Fowler (@cbfowler) January 30, 2016
Williams won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles last year before losing to Roberta Vinci in the U.S. Open semifinals. Well done @serenawilliams – a strong fight and wonderful class in gracious remarks after a defeat that has to sting. A champion.
After being so close to a calendar-year Grand Slam in 2015, she has no chance to push for that honor in 2016 after losing the season’s first major. — Chris Fowler (@cbfowler) January 30, 2016
Despite a rash of uncharacteristic unforced errors, Williams pushed Kerber all the way. She had never lost a major final that went three sets, and she had only lost to three players — twice to her sister Venus (U.S. Open 2001, Wimbledon 2008), and once each to Maria Sharapova (Wimbledon 2004) and Sam Stosur (U.S. Open 2011) . What a final girls @serenawilliams & @AngeliqueKerber Great sportsmanship! Well done to both. Congrats to Angelique for her 1st GS #AusOpen — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 30, 2016
Kerber had a chance to serve for the match at 5-3 in the third but couldn’t hold. Williams had a chance to level but dropped her serve, too. It finished when she hit a forehand volley long on championship point, her 46th unforced error. What a final girls @serenawilliams & @AngeliqueKerber Great sportsmanship! Well done to both. Congrats to Angelique for her 1st GS #AusOpen
Kerber dropped her racket on the court and lay flat on her back as Williams walked around the net to embrace her. — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 30, 2016
“She had an attitude that I think a lot of people can learn from — to always stay positive and never give up,” Williams said. “If I couldn’t win, I’m happy she did.” What an amazing final girls! Congrats @AngeliqueKerber what a way to win your first grand slam! & @serenawilliams what an exemple of a champ — Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) January 30, 2016
Kerber credited Williams with being an inspiration to a generation of players. What an amazing final girls! Congrats @AngeliqueKerber what a way to win your first grand slam! & @serenawilliams what an exemple of a champ
“You created history, you are a champion, you are a really an unbelievably great person,” Kerber said. “So congratulations for everything you did already.” — Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) January 30, 2016
Novak Djokovic is chasing history on Sunday night, aiming to join Roy Emerson as the only six-time Australian Open champion. He’s 5-0 in finals at Melbourne Park, and will be meeting Andy Murray, who is 0-4 in finals here. Total class: @serenawilliams beyond gracious in defeat.#AusOpen — James Andrew Miller (@JimMiller) January 30, 2016
Murray was at Rod Laver Arena after midnight to see his older brother, Jamie, combine with Bruno Soares to beat Daniel Nestor and Radek Stepanek 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 for the men’s doubles title. Total class: @serenawilliams beyond gracious in defeat.#AusOpen
“Andy, you should be in bed,” the older sibling said. — James Andrew Miller (@JimMiller) January 30, 2016
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