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T The path of glory is rarely smooth. Angelique Kerber 's win over Serena Williams on Saturday gave her a third Grand Slam title, two years after an eight – month period in which she won the Australian Open and took her home. US Open and became the world's number 1. To break it down, the German said that it was the experience of 2017, when she lost her way and fell from the top 20, which laid the foundation for her return to the Mountain peak.
"The last two years give me so much," said Kerber, who allowed himself a sip of champagne a few hours after his 6-3, 6-3 win over Williams, whose own achievement in reaching the finale, 10 months after a traumatic birth C & # 39; s was really remarkable.
"Without 2017, especially, I would not be there. Because I've learned a lot from myself, as a person, improving my tennis, improving it as a tennis player, and I think that's just the process. The process of years of tournaments, playing important games, being in the situation where the pressure may be on your side, or on the side of the opponent.
Maybe it's his Polish heritage – his grandparents live in Puszczykowo and she owns a place there – that gives Kerber that feeling, that to fully enjoy the highs, you have to d & # 39; first experiment the bottom. She is very close to her grandparents, who watched the house finale on Saturday, immensely proud of their granddaughter. "I spoke with my grandparents after the match, right after, because I knew they were supporting me at home watching TV," Kerber said. "They are really proud and without them I would not be here, with all my family, they support me all my life and I think they'll be drinking tonight too a little bit."
Kerber will climb to No. 4 ranking when the list is updated Monday and that she has experienced difficulties in the second half of 2017, she has a good chance of going higher, maybe even to regain the # 1 ranking she had previously held at Wimbledon last year. Last time, she struggled to cope with everything that went with being the highest ranked player in the world; This time, she feels that she will be better equipped to cope.
"I appreciated [being No 1] but I did not expect so much because when you reach the top, you have no idea what you have to do. She said, "What I've learned from this is that sometimes you have to say no, and take the time for yourself, not do all the daily media or stuff, just do it. a few days for you. When you do that, I think you can enjoy more. [If it happens again] I will treat this situation a little differently. "
His coach, Wim Fissette, deserves a lot of credit, having started working with Kerber at the end of 2017, after a short and successful run with Great Britain Johanna Konta. , who also coached Kim Clijsters, Simona Halep and Victoria Azarenka, helped Kerber technically and mentally, rebuilding his confidence and adding a new offensive dimension to his already brilliant defensive skills.
With three Grand Slam titles, Kerber is now fourth among active players, behind Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova.The 30-year-old needs the Open de France to complete the full set, and though the clay is her surface the weakest, she is a phenomenal athlete with time on her side.Fissette does not doubt that there are more titles coming.
"I'm still sure we have not seen the best ur Angie, "he told a small group of journalists. "Even physically, she can do a lot better, her service can still improve and her offensive play, the more she feels the success with her attacking game, the more she'll use it too." the experience she has gained, she gains more experience in these games to stay calm mentally. "
It may take time for Kerber to appreciate her success, but when she thinks of all that that she went through to reach this point, she will enjoy it.Then she can start again and go again.
"I'm sitting here and I'm the champion, but it's still not really in my head [that it is real]"she said." I think I have to sleep a few nights and see my trophy and then maybe I can realize that I've won this moment. When I won the match point … there was a lot of emotions, a lot of work that I put in the last few months, a lot of sweat in the sessions. training to play in these moments. "
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