German World No 6 Angelique Kerber shocked tournament favourite and World No 1 Serena Williams in the Australian Open finals on Saturday, picking up her first Grand Slam singles trophy. Williams, who has been in imperious form, was expected to take the game with little trouble, but Kerber had other ideas. The final score read 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
The German won the first set 6-4, after Williams made 23 errors against her three. This was the first time Williams lost a set in the tournament, and it showed in her manner, with the American roaring in anguish at each point that she forced too hard.
The first set loss was an ominous one for the World No 1. Before this match, her win-loss record in Grand Slam finals was 19-0 when she won the first set, and 2-4 when she lost it. On her part, Kerber kept up a super defence, staying consistent and chasing every shot down to keep the match in her control.
However, Williams appeared to be more assured in the second set, taking an early lead and going 4-1, and then 5-2 up. Kerber kept up her spirited returns, but Williams held her nerve to win it 6-3. The American brought her unforced errors down sharply in the second set, committing just five of them, while Kerber's rose to seven.
On the back of some incredible rallies, Kerber broke Williams to love early in the third set, and took a 2-0 lead. Williams broke back immediately, and then levelled the score at 2-2. But in one of the longest games of the match, Kerber took Williams' serve with a series of well-place drop shots, and then breezed through the next game, going 5-2 up. Showing great tenacity, Kerber fended off Williams' last efforts and closed out the last set 6-4.
Kerber had risen into prominence in 2011, when she made the US Open semifinals in 2011 ranked 92 in the world. Over the next few years she broke into and stayed in the top 10, ending 2012 at a career-high No 5. She is currently at ranked World No 6, and is expected to rise to No 2 after this victory.
Williams had won 21 Grand Slams before this, higher than any men and second only to Steffi Graf (22) and Margaret Court (24) on the women's tour. With Court's achievement coming before the Open Era, this loss means the Serena has not yet equalled Graf's record.
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