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Published January 28, 2016 12:14
MELBOURNE, Australia - No.7 seed Angelique Kerber ended Johanna Konta's dream run at the Australian Open, winning 7-5, 6-2 against the unseeded Brit to book a spot in the final against Serena Williams.
Kerber, who started out the tournament having to save a match point against the No.64 Misaki Doi in her opening match, is now into her first ever Grand Slam final - she was the only player in the Top 10 to have never made it to the last stage.
"It's a really special moment," an overjoyed Kerber said in her on-court interview. "I mean, I reached the finals for the first time. I was trying to give everything today on the court."
Playing the dangerous and surging Konta for the first time, Kerber drew from experience - the 28-year-old has two Grand Slam semifinal appearances under her belt - and a little help from German legend Steffi Graf.
"She was my idol. She still is my idol," Kerber said in her pre-match press conference. "I was able to practice with her like few days just before Indian Wells last year. She taught me actually that I'm on a good way and try to believe in myself."
Kerber used that newfound confidence to stem the rising tide of Konta, who was chasing British tennis history in her bid to become the country's first Grand Slam finalist since 1977.
The German started off the match with two emphatic breaks of serve, leaping ahead to a 3-0 lead while Konta, who was making her first main draw appearance in Melbourne, showed signs of nerves early on. The Brit was able to reel off four straight games to ease her way back into the match, but after a brief rain delay Kerber emerged with the first set, 7-5.
Kerber was ruthless in the second set, building a 4-1 lead as the errors continued to pile up for the Brit. A stray backhand from Konta sealed the set and Kerber's spot in the final, 6-2.
With the win, Kerber becomes the last German woman in an Australian Open final since Anke Huber in 1996. But she's got a big challenge ahead if she wants to emulate her idol Graf, the last German woman to claim the trophy.
Kerber's next opponent is Serena Williams, who stormed past No.4 Agnieszka Radwanska with a dominant 6-0, 6-4 win in the previous semifinal. Williams is seeking her 22nd Grand Slam singles title - a feat which would tie Graf's record - and holds a 5-1 head-to-head lead against Kerber.
"I'm really looking forward to playing Serena in the final," Kerber said of the matchup. "I mean, it's just amazing to play against No.1 in the first Grand Slam of the year.
"I'm really looking forward to taking this challenge."
Kerber, who started out the tournament having to save a match point against the No.64 Misaki Doi in her opening match, is now into her first ever Grand Slam final - she was the only player in the Top 10 to have never made it to the last stage.
"It's a really special moment," an overjoyed Kerber said in her on-court interview. "I mean, I reached the finals for the first time. I was trying to give everything today on the court."
Playing the dangerous and surging Konta for the first time, Kerber drew from experience - the 28-year-old has two Grand Slam semifinal appearances under her belt - and a little help from German legend Steffi Graf.
"She was my idol. She still is my idol," Kerber said in her pre-match press conference. "I was able to practice with her like few days just before Indian Wells last year. She taught me actually that I'm on a good way and try to believe in myself."
Kerber used that newfound confidence to stem the rising tide of Konta, who was chasing British tennis history in her bid to become the country's first Grand Slam finalist since 1977.
The German started off the match with two emphatic breaks of serve, leaping ahead to a 3-0 lead while Konta, who was making her first main draw appearance in Melbourne, showed signs of nerves early on. The Brit was able to reel off four straight games to ease her way back into the match, but after a brief rain delay Kerber emerged with the first set, 7-5.
Kerber was ruthless in the second set, building a 4-1 lead as the errors continued to pile up for the Brit. A stray backhand from Konta sealed the set and Kerber's spot in the final, 6-2.
With the win, Kerber becomes the last German woman in an Australian Open final since Anke Huber in 1996. But she's got a big challenge ahead if she wants to emulate her idol Graf, the last German woman to claim the trophy.
Kerber's next opponent is Serena Williams, who stormed past No.4 Agnieszka Radwanska with a dominant 6-0, 6-4 win in the previous semifinal. Williams is seeking her 22nd Grand Slam singles title - a feat which would tie Graf's record - and holds a 5-1 head-to-head lead against Kerber.
"I'm really looking forward to playing Serena in the final," Kerber said of the matchup. "I mean, it's just amazing to play against No.1 in the first Grand Slam of the year.
"I'm really looking forward to taking this challenge."
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