Angelique Kerber has set up an Australian Open final rematch with Serena Williams after ending hopes of another all-sister title showdown at the All England Club.
Kerber denied five-times champion Venus Williams 6-4 6-4 in Thursday’s second semi-final after Serena wiped out unseeded Russian Elena Vesnina 6-2 6-0 in just 49 minutes.
“It’s just amazing to beat Venus in the semis,” Kerber said
“It’s always a really tough match against her. She’s a champion and won so many times here.
“That’s why I’m so happy with my game. It’s just a very good feeling.”
After landing her maiden major in Melbourne, Kerber will once again be trying to stop Serena from matching fellow German Steffi Graf’s open-era record 22 Grand Slam singles crowns on Saturday.
“It’s a completely new tournament, new surface and everything is completely new,” said the fourth-seeded challenger.
“I will just go out with a lot of confidence, trying to play my tennis and to give everything in the final.”
Kerber has every right to be cautious.
Serena’s comprehensive victory over Vesnina was the most one-sided women’s semifinal at the All England since Graf thrashed Pam Shriver 6-0 6-2 in 1987.
It was also the shortest in duration in the 48-year professional era, two minutes quicker than Williams’ thumping of Dinara Safina in 2009.
At 34, Williams is the oldest woman to make the Wimbledon final since Martina Navratilova in 1994, but is playing as well ever and is desperate to atone for her loss to Kerber in Australia and then to Garbine Muguruza in last month’s French Open decider.
She will be contesting her 28th grand slam final in total on Saturday and said it was hard to comprehend she was into her ninth final at the home of tennis – 14 years after her first.
“It’s weird,” Serena said.
“I can’t believe I’m in the finals again.
“Obviously I’m 0 for two (this year) so hopefully I can win one this year.”
The top seed’s semifinal rout also secured the world No.1 ranking for at least a 301st week.
Kerber could have assumed the top ranking had she won the title and Williams didn’t make the final.
3 October 2017
Alize Cornet playing a match filled with drama? Surely not ...The scene: the Frenchwoman's... More
23 March 2017
Think umpiring is an easy job? Think again. Because umpire's don't just have to keep an ey... More
15 September 2016
The greatest champions, goes the old adage, are those who leave their sport better than th... More
23 February 2016
Tennis is a funny old game. People love you one minute and then want to drop you the next;... More
© 2024 Tennis Australia