Angelique Kerber wins 2016 US Open women’s title

Kerber won her first U.S. Open title and the second major trophy of an out-of-nowhere breakthrough season, taking five of the last six games to beat a fading Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 on Saturday.

Having saved the first break point she faced in the second set, but unable to make inroads on Pliskova’s serve, Kerber was beginning to look demoralized by the power shots coming her way.

There won’t be quite the buzz at Arthur Ashe Stadium without Serena, but consider this reading of the final: These could be the players, along with Garbine Muguruza, who pose the greatest threat to Serena’s ability to win Grand Slams over the next several years.

Angelique Kerber spoke late Thursday night as if she already had accomplished her goal at the U.S. Open.

“We all know that the last game wasn’t great, but it’s so hard against her”, Pliskova said.

“Like I was making errors that I never make, and definitely I didn’t make in this tournament in particular”. “I think this is what makes me now stronger than ever”.

“I got a few texts, but that just made me feel worse”, Wozniacki said later.

Serena Williams has failed in her attempt to win a seventh US Open title after she was defeated by Karolina Pliskova. “It was always a dream to, you know, get a title, get to the semi-final, get to the final”, Czech Pliskova said in her post-match press conference on Thursday, wtatennis.com reported.

Meanwhile, Kerber has had a supreme season, winning the Australian Open and reaching finals at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics.

While reputation and achievement favour Kerber, the force is decidedly with Pliskova.

Kerber had seized the advantage right at the start by breaking Pliskova, who showed some nerves in her first grand slam final, in the opening game at 30 with a sizzling forehand victor. Suddenly up 4-3 in the set, Pliskova turned to her coach up in the stands and yelled, pumping her fists.

She saved a match point in a three-set win over Venus Williams in the quarterfinals and then upset top-seeded Serena in the semis. “To beat Serena, she’s world No. 1, so it’s always tough to beat someone like this”.

It prevented her from reaching several milestones, and knocked her off her long-held throne as the No. 1 player in the world.

One year on, there was less pressure on Williams, but even more brilliance from her opponent.

“I hope I didn’t stop yet, that there is still one more step to go”. Everyone is gonna say it’s awesome win tonight. We both have a good chance to win.

Pliskova said she was focusing on herself and didn’t notice whether Williams was troubled.

” For me it’s awesome to be after Steffi [Graf], the number one player from Germany”, Kerber said.

At the US Open semi-finals on a humid Thursday night in NY, newly-crowned world number one Angelique Kerber was described as being “a little predictable”.

Graf is also the only other German woman to achieve the top ranking. She’s familiar with the rhythms and routines leading up to a major final and the nerves that are natural for the occasion. I have to be the one who is aggressive.

“It’s just fantastic”, a beaming Kerber, told an adoring crowd after being handed the winner’s cheque of $3.5 million.

Stan Wawrinka, of Switzerland, returns a shot to Kei Nishikori, of Japan, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, in NY.

But she certainly appeared to have her mind elsewhere throughout the match. “Now I know him a little bit better”, Siegemund said during the trophy ceremony.