Australian Open Results: Kerber Beats Williams, Djokovic Wins For 6th Time

The world number one and top seed was overwhelming favourite to win her 22nd Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park, but an error-strewn performance handed the German a stunning 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory.

At this stage, history favoured the world number one, as she was not only undefeated in Grand Slam finals that have lasted three sets, the most recent of which she contested at last year’s French Open, she was also undefeated in six previous Australian Open finals, including last year’s romp over Maria Sharapova.

Serena Williams said she wasn’t a “robot” and couldn’t win every match she played after slumping to a shock defeat in the Australian Open final against Germany’s Angelique Kerber. And even after Serena got the break back to bring the set to 2-2, Kerber rattled off the next three games to take a commanding 5-2 lead, eventually closing it out 6-4 to capture the title. “It’s been the best two weeks of my life, of my career”, Kerber said. Earlier this month at Brisbane, Andrea Petkovic said she was overwhelmed by how much pressure Serena was under when trying to complete the Calendar Slam. I’m really honored to be in this final and to win it – my dream came true tonight. “I was really hoping the ball was coming over the net because they were like really good”.

Kerber’s win in the women’s tournament was a huge upset, as Howard Bryant told NPR’s Scott Simon on Saturday.

Kerber was not in awe of Williams, although after the match she called her “an inspiration for so many people”. “Steffi Graf’s era was a good few years ago”. But I did think that she would win the 2015 U.S. Open and 2016 Australian Open championships, and the top-ranked women’s player lost in matches in which she was a heavy favorite, so I could be wrong. You really deserve it. Congrats! “I didn’t really have time to be nervous”. “It’s insane to say but I am a Grand Slam champion now”. “They were just unexpected because she hadn’t hit any until the third set”.

It went with serve until a titanic sixth game, when Williams saved four break points but couldn’t save a fifth as she looped a forehand long. “I have so many emotions, so many thoughts, but all of them good ones”.

Zhang managed four wins in the span of 10 days after waiting eight years for her first win in a Grand Slam main draw. This is actually the biggest thing that I learned also in these two weeks, to go for it. Angelique Kerber was down to match point against Misaki Doi in the second set, until she found her form, roared back, and took the second and third sets.

“I knew before that I beat her once in Cincinnati, that I really must go out there to try to beat her again because she will not give it to me”. There is equal testimony to Kerber playing the match of her life and demonstrating tenacity. As you can see up top, she broke Williams, coaxing her into missing the backline on the final point before she dropped to the court in disbelief. “Steffi is a champion”.