By Erik Gudris | Friday, January 29, 2016
Serena Williams will face off against Angelique Kerber in the AO final with both women having a connection to all-time great Steffi Graf.
Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
This year's Australian Open women's final finds the prohibitive favorite and a surprise finalist united by their connection to one of the sport's all-time greats. One is trying to tie this player's incredible record of Grand Slam titles. The other hopes to be inspired by her greatness to win her first ever major title.
(1) Serena Williams vs. (7) Angelique Kerber
Rod Laver Arena
Head to Head: Williams leads 5 to 1
More: Hingis and Mirza Add to Grand Slam Haul at Melbourne
Though she is the World No. 1 and defending champion, Williams entered Melbourne this year as a question mark. She was just coming back from a four-month hiatus and dealt with knee issues at the Hopman Cup. But Williams quickly went from being a question to an exclamation mark with a sizzling opening round win against Camila Giorgi. That led to her rolling through the next rounds, with some matches taking under an hour, and only dropping 26 games in total. Even Agnieszka Radwanska said she felt at times that she was watching Williams as a spectator, and not playing her as a competitor, in their semifinal.
Williams said that she is surprised herself that she is in her seventh Australian Open final. She enters this final with less pressure on herself, or so she says. If Williams wins, she will tie Steffi Graf's record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles. An incredible achievement that will once again set up Williams for possibly more Grand Slam glory in 2016. Will that opportunity weigh on Williams' mind so much that it causes her to freeze up as she did in New York in quest of the calendar Grand Slam? So far, it hasn't. But a final is always it's own test with so much on the line.
Graf has a connection too for Kerber. The left-handed German grew up idolizing Graf and did manage to hit with Graf briefly last year. Kerber is trying to become the first German woman to win the AO title since Graf did in 1994.
Kerber almost became part of another storyline during this tournament. If Kerber had not saved a match point in her first round match versus Misaki Doi, she would have been one of many seeded players who lost early. Instead, she got through that and grew in confidence. That confidence was on full display when she finally beat Victoria Azarenka for the first time ever in their quarterfinal. Kerber will need all of that confidence, and then some, if she wants to beat Williams. She says she will go out there with nothing to lose, but it's hard not to think she won't feel some nerves, especially seeing Williams across the net.
Kerber beat Williams before a few years ago in Cincinnati. Yet, that was against a weary Williams who had just won Wimbledon and the Olympics. If Kerber is going to have a chance, she will have to play peak defense and use some of Radwanska's own techniques of slicing and dicing while finding the opportunity to go for winners like she did against Azarenka. Kerber has served well when she needed it during the fortnight, especially on break points. She'll need to do that, but even better, to stay close with Williams.
Kerber may have the lefty serve in her favor, but her second serve can be short and a liability for her, something that Williams will feast on if she is dialed in on her returns.
Williams all event has shown that, at her best, she is still far ahead of the rest of the field. Kerber is a deserving first-time finalist who could pull off the upset if everything goes in her favor and if she plays the match of her life. If Kerber keeps up her confidence, this shouldn’t be the only window of opportunity for her to win a major title. Yet, for Williams, this final again should prove to be one more opportunity that she won’t pass up to add yet another piece of tennis history to her incredible legacy.
The Pick: Williams in two sets