Angelique Kerber wins US Open, beats Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

 
Angelique Kerber beat Karolina Pliskova in a thriller, 6-3 4-6 6-4, to win the US Open and claim her second grand slam title of 2016.


The 28-year-old German — who will rise from second to first in the rankings Monday, ahead of Serena Williams — became the first female player other than Williams to win two majors in a season since Justine Henin in 2007.

Indeed it has been a stellar year for Kerber, who opened her grand slam account at the Australian Open by defeating Williams, made the final at Wimbledon — losing to Williams — and won silver at the Rio Olympics last month.

Kerber won most of the big points in the first set-and-a-half against the tall, powerful Pliskova, who was appearing in a first grand slam final. But Pliskova broke late in the second and then led 3-1 in the third.

Kerber broke back for 3-3 before Pliskova — who has a tennis playing twin sister — cracked at 4-5, getting broken to love in a flood of errors.

The Czech had become the first player in six years to beat Serena and Venus Williams — who own a combined 29 singles majors — at the same tournament but was unable to overcome the counter-punching Kerber three weeks after downing the left-hander in Cincinnati.

The men’s final will be decided Sunday, when world No. 1 Novak Djokovic plays No. 3 Stan Wawrinka.
CNN