Tearful Kerber stuns Williams to win first major title at Australian Open
Left-handed German turns on the power as she chokes back tears to win the season’s first grand slam title against errant American
A tearful Angelique Kerber stunned an errant Serena Williams to win the Australian Open on Saturday and thwart the American top seed’s bid to equal Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of 22 grand slam titles.
In a huge upset, the seventh seed toppled the 34-year-old 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win her maiden major title and become the first German grand slam champion since Graf at the 1999 French Open.
The best two weeks of my life and career. I had goose bumps here on the centre court when I was playing
Williams, the world number one and defending champion, had won all six previous Melbourne Park finals she had played and had also triumphed in her last eight grand slam deciders.
But Kerber, inspired by a good luck message from Graf, knew all the pressure was on her opponent and she mercilessly exploited her weaknesses in a thriller at Rod Laver Arena.
“My whole life I was working really hard and now I’m here and I can say I’m a grand slam champion, so it sounds really crazy,” she said, choking back tears.