Angelique Kerber clinches first US Open title

Williams, 34, double-faulted on match point to lose 6-2 7-6 (7-5), and Pliskova will face German second seed Angelique Kerber in the final.

The top seed had been hoping to win a second successive Major crown after emerging victorious at Wimbledon in July but she slipped to a 6-2 7-6 to the Czech, who reaches her first Grand Slam final.

While Williams is acknowledged to have the greatest serve ever in the women’s game, it was second best against Pliskova, who had seven aces and won 84 percent of her first-serve points.

“Obviously, she’s had a great year”, Wozniacki said.

“I don’t think much went well today”, she said of losing to first-time major semifinalist Pliskova.

Kerber said: ‘It was not so easy to go on court because I knew it actually before that if Serena lost, of course, that I will be the No 1.

Williams had to back up from her three-set quarter-final win against Romania’s Simona Halep yesterday, and has to call the trainer out during today’s match to work on her leg.

Karolina Pliskova gave a big shock to world number player Serena Williams. “I think if she had played any less, then maybe I would have had a chance”, Williams said, according to the AP. “To be here in the final for the first time means a lot”.

Twenty minutes after reaching the summit of her sport, Kerber took on former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, overpowering the two-time US Open finalist 6-4, 6-3.

“OK, I’m not going to repeat myself. I was actually really exhausted because I came from Rio [Olympic Games] and I had a lot of tough matches there”, Kerber said.

There are, however, some key differences, including that the earlier one was at a run-of-the-mill event and the upcoming one is at a Grand Slam tournament. I wasn’t exhausted. Fatigue had absolutely nothing to do with it (loss). “I always knew I have a chance to beat anyone if I’m playing my game”.

Kerber had never made a Grand Slam final at the start of this year. “And also, mentally to be more positive, a little bit stronger, and just focusing on the moment I am on court”.

Angelique Kerber, of Germany, reacts after defeating Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, in NY. I knew it would be tough because I know Pliskova has been playing very good in the last few weeks.