Kerber, Queen of Australia

The world No 1 Serena was looking to match Steffi Graf’s 22 Grand Slam victories. But the seventh seeded Kerber had other ideas winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 for her first major title. 

The German, who had previously reached the semifinals at both Wimbledon and the US Open, took the first set 6-4, breaking Williams in the second service game and again when 4-3 up before serving out to love. 

It was the first set Williams had lost in this year’s Australian Open but she tecovered quickly and broke Kerber in the second, taking a 3-1 lead. She went on to take the set 6-3 with no more breaks of serve. 

Kerber broke early in the third set, moving into a 2-0 lead but Williams responded immediately, breaking straight back. Then she went 3-2 up before getting a crucial break in the sixth game. At 2-5, Serena fought back one last time making it 4-5 but Kerber broke again to seal the match. 

It is no secret that Graf is Kerber’s idol. “She told me, congrats, and she is happy for me, and good luck in the finals,” Kerber said of her message from Graf ahead of Saturday’s final.  

“For sure when I was growing up, I was watching Steffi ….she taught me actually that I’m on a good way and try to believe in myself,” Kerber said. “I think when you ask a lot of people, I think most will say, ‘Okay, Serena will win.’ But this is the challenge I can take. I go out there, I don’t have anything to lose. I don’t have so much pressure like she has.” 

And Kerber had nothing to lose and everything to gain. And that awas what she did at Melbourne. 

“When I played here the first round I was match point down and playing with one leg on the plane to Germany,” an emotional Kerber said in a courtside interview. 

“I took my second chance to play the final against Serena. To win it is my dream come true. Now I can say I’m a Grand Slam champion and it sounds really crazy,” says an ecstatic Angelique Kerber.

2016 Australian Open - Angelique Kerber (Won)

2014 Stanford - Serena Williams (Won)

2014 Miami Masters - Serena Williams (Won)

2013 WTA Championship - Serena Williams (Won)

2012 WTA Chamionship - Serena Williams (Won)

2012 Cincinnati Masters - Angelique Kerber (Won)

2007 US Open - Serena Williams (Won)