Melbourne: Steffi Graf’s protégé Angelique Kerber beat Serena Williams to clinch her maiden Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday. If Serena had won the final she would have equalled Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles.
Kerber has done it!! #AusOpen https://t.co/uLE08xWLnu
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2016 ðŸ†ðŸ'‹@AngeliqueKerber #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/0xn71VL4O1
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2016 Kerber defeated Williams, the defending champion, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win her first Grand Slam title.
Game, set, match Angelique #Kerber.
Takes down World No.1 & defending champion Serena Williams 6-4 3-6 6-4. #ausopen pic.twitter.com/0eRlbu4Biw
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2016 The loss was Serena's only fifth defeat in a summit clash of a Grand Slam. The American has 21 Grand Slam titles against her name.
The seventh seeded Kerber was not overawed by the occasion of her first Grand Slam final, breaking twice in the first set as Williams made 23 unforced errors.
#Kerber holds to love and takes the first set 6-4 in 39 minutes over #Serena. #ausopen pic.twitter.com/4uA2cwQJna
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2016 First set stats -
Unforced errors:
Serena: 23
Kerber: 3#ausopen pic.twitter.com/c46oYyJhRQ
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2016 Williams cut down on the errors to win the second set 6-3 and kept alive her hopes to equal Graf's record of winning 22 Grand Slam titles.
#Serena levels it up.
Takes second set 6-3 over #Kerber.
We’re off to a third! #ausopen pic.twitter.com/2yAjBzWfbW
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2016 Set 2 is done, and it's 1 each. Who will take home the title tonight? #AusOpen #Stats pic.twitter.com/DLUcuQ1jBK
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2016 Kerber, who had the opportunity to serve it out while leading 5-3 only for the American to battle back, clinched when Williams hit a volley long in the next game.
The opening salvo had looked ominous as Williams raced through the first game to love and then put pressure on the German, who was down 15-30 after a double fault but managed to suppress any demons she may have had and held on.
The 28-year-old German then played superb defensive tennis against the powerful Williams, scrambling to force her to play an extra shot that ultimately contributed to 23 unforced errors from the American in the first set.
