Kerber bursting with pride post maiden Oz Open title

My whole life I was working so hard and now I can say that I’m a Grand Slam champion… it sounds so insane.

It was the first time Williams has lost in eight Australian Open finals and the 21-time major champion was well below-par, making 46 unforced errors, more than double the amount of any of her previous rounds. The sixth-ranked Kerber, 28, took defending champion and world No. 1 Serena Williams, 34, to the cleaners, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. But Serena answers with a sharp angle, only for the German to outdo her with a lovely backhand, en route to a break and 2-1 lead. Despite losing to Kerber in the quarterfinals, the Belarusian still had chances to level the match, serving for the second set at 5-2 and holding three set points at 40-0. The No.1-seed won the next two games and was a point away from 5-all, but the No.7-seed finally won 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

The World number two became the first German female tennis player to win a grand slam title in the Open Era after 17 years.

The new world No. 2 took the plunge to fulfill a bet she had with her coach, who also jumped in. I think more or less I thought just about winning this match.

The first British woman to reach the semi-finals of a grand slam since 1983, Konta will be seeded at the French Open if she can remain inside the top 32.

But she said staying calm and taking it point by point was key to toppling both Azarenka and the world number one.

“If I couldn’t win, I’m happy she did”. I was lying on my back on the centre court and I knew, “OK, I won the final, I am a Grand Slam champion, I can hold the trophy now”. Following the match, Williams spoke with reporters about the high expectations fans and spectators have for her performance. Serena had been in imperious form all tournament, but too many errors cost her dearly against an opponent she had beaten five times before. You must play really your best tennis to beat her. I played really good.

‘I was just hitting the ball and then her volley went out.

Williams was enormously gracious in defeat, even more impressive as she must have believed she was set to win a seventh Australian Open title and equal Graf.

“I think I did the best I could today”.

As Williams struggled with consistent groundstrokes, Kerber gained confidence and made quality plays to pull ahead. I know my practices are better.

“Let me be the first to congratulate you”, Williams said in her post-match speech.

“Maybe tomorrow I could produce something different”.

“This is the first big tournament of the year, and I won it, the first Grand Slam”. She had an attitude that I think a lot of people can learn from. She had never lost a major final that went three sets, and she had only lost to three players – twice to her sister Venus (U.S. Open 2001, Wimbledon 2008), and once each to Maria Sharapova (Wimbledon 2004) and Sam Stosur (U.S. Open 2011).