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Kerber stuns Serena Williams to win Aus Open

In one of the biggest tennis upsets of recent years, Germany’s Angelique Kerber has beaten Serena Williams in an Australian Open final for the ages.

Kerber was making her first appearance in a grand slam final and was given little chance of derailing Williams’ bid to equal Steffi Graf’s mark of 22 major wins.

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But the 28-year-old, who by her own admission had one foot on the plane back home to Germany during the first round of the Open, did what many thought was impossible – taking victory 6-4 3-6 6-4 in two hours and eight minutes.

After falling to her back in celebration, Kerber was embraced warmly by Williams, who came round to her opponent’s side of the net to offer her congratulations.

Williams was graceful after letting slip her opportunity. Photo: Getty

Williams was graceful after letting slip her opportunity. Photo: Getty

“When I played here in the first round I was match-point down and had one leg on the plane to Germany,” Kerber said.

“(But) I got a second chance and I took my chance.

“It’s a dream come true.

“All my life I worked very hard and now I can say I’m a grand slam champion.

“It sounds really crazy, unbelievable.”

Williams was quick to pay tribute to her conqueror.

“She played so well today,” Williams said.

“She had an attitude that I think a lot of people can learn from: just to always stay positive and to never give up.

“I was really inspired by that. So, honestly, she’s a really good girl. If I couldn’t win, I’m happy she did.”

The three-set boilover was not only Williams’ first defeat in seven title matches at Melbourne Park, but also denied the American a place alongside Graf as the most successful women’s player in almost half a century of professional tennis.

Apart from being the first German since Graf at Wimbledon in 1999 to land a singles major, Kerber is only the second woman in the open era to secure the title after saving match point in the first round.

She stood on the brink of defeat in her opener against Misaki Doi, but hasn’t looked back since, also taking out two-time champion and former world number one Victoria Azarenka en route to glory.

Kerber is only the fourth player to conquer Williams in a grand slam final, joining the American’s older sister Venus, Russian Maria Sharapova and Australian Samantha Stosur.

Kerber has been a mainstay of the women’s top 10 since a barnstorming run to the 2011 US Open semi-finals, where she was beaten in three sets by eventual champion Stosur.

As Kerber celebrated her magical breakthrough, Williams was left to lament another opportunity lost after succumbing to suffocating pressure for the second straight slam.

A shock semi-final loser to Roberta Vinci with a calendar-year grand slam within sight at the US Open, Williams again stumbled on Saturday.

Williams made a staggering 46 unforced errors as Kerber dominated with awesome power and precision.

Mixing incredible forehand passes with deft backhand dropshot winners and amazing defence, Kerber surged to the biggest win of her career in two hours and eight tension-filled minutes at Rod Laver Arena.

The the victor go the spoils: the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and a cheque for $3.4 million. Photo: Getty

The the victor go the spoils: the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and a cheque for $3.4 million. Photo: Getty

She will climb to a career-high number two in the rankings on Monday and also bank a cheque for $3.4 million.

Williams opened the match positively enough with a love service hold.

But the start merely masked the stress and nerves.

She made a succession of backhand errors to gift the German a break in the third game and it quickly became apparent this wouldn’t be a routine night at work.

In contrast, Kerber brought her A game from the outset, producing a brilliant backhand crosscourt winner en route to an ominous 3-1 lead.

Raising her intensity and stalking Kerber’s suspect second serve, Williams broke back for 3-3 with a scorching backhand return.

But she gave the break straight back with a wild forehand volley drive as her unforced error count continued to mount.

By the time Kerber held for 5-3 and then again to seal the opening set, Williams had racked up 23 mistakes to the underdog’s three.

But as Kerber edged towards a famous victory, the seventh seed coughed up consecutive double-faults to hand Williams a 4-2 buffer in the second set.

It was invitation enough for Williams to take the set and level the match up.

Ominously, Williams was eight from eight in deciding sets of grand slam finals.

Undeterred, Kerber retained her cool to break the top seed to love and surge to a 2-0 lead with a flurry of explosive forehand winners.

Williams fought back to 2-2 before Kerber reeled off three straight games to have the American on the brink.

Kerber faltered trying to serve out the match at 5-3, but finally prevailed as Williams dropped serve for a fifth time trying to stay in the contest.

– with AAP

 

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