NEW YORK, September 11,2016
Angelique Kerber is the champion of the 2016 US Open to crown her fantastic season. The 28-year-old German defeated Karolina Pliskova in Saturday’s final 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Kerber hit 21 winners and capitalized on four of her five break points to seal her first triumph in New York after two hours and seven minutes.
SIE! HAT! ES! @AngeliqueKerber ist #USOpen-Siegerin 2016. https://t.co/HyHQ1tWK4g
— Eurosport DE (@Eurosport_DE) 10. September 2016
“This what’s happened in the last two weeks, it’s just incredible,” Kerber said afterwards. “Also, how I was dealing with the pressure when I came here and everybody was asking me about the No. 1 number, actually. This was what I was trying to improving with the pressure.”
The German lefty will move up one spot from No. 2 and replace Serena Williams atop the WTA rankings on Monday.
“And also, today, I mean, it’s always tough to going in the final when I know the opponent beats me like two or three weeks ago. That was also a challenge what I told myself, Okay, I will do everything on court today to win the match against Karolina.”
Pliskova will rise to No.6 in the rankings after the loss. There is no sadness or regrets after competing in such a high-quality, closely contested Grand Slam final, the first of her career.
“I think I did a great job,” she said in her post-match press conference. “It was my first final. Still was close to winning. I mean, she has more experience to play those finals than me so probably decided in this match.”
“I’m so proud of myself. If someone would tell me I’m going to play finals in this tournament two weeks ago I would take it. No sadness.”
Murray And Soares Reign In New York
In the men’s doubles final, fourth seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares downed Spaniards Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-3 in 78 minutes, firing 27 winners, while converting four of five break chances.
“These tournaments are the hardest to win,” said Murray, who also won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2007.“I’ve got a great partner in Bruno who makes a lot of returns for me and long may it continue.”
Murray is the first British man to win the US Open doubles title since Roger Taylor, alongside South African Cliff Drysdale, in 1972, while Soares has become the first Brazilian to win more than one Grand Slam doubles title.
“I am glad we got together,” said Soares. “It is our first season. To win in Australia and here is extremely special.”
