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In a remarkable essay on women's tennis, written in 1988, the year of the birth of Angelique Kerber, novelist Martin Amis felt Steffi Graf "something unbelievable on the court of tennis, miracle of speed, balance and intense athleticism. She looks like a skater but she moves like a puck.
These words proved to be a perfect description of Kerber's clever 6-3, 6-3 dissection of Serber. There were certainly several speed miracles as she pursued shot after shot, forcing the American to make many mistakes, since she was the first German to win a singles title at Wimbledon since Graf in 1996.
Graf was the hero of Kerber in Bremen. Since then, both have become confidants who enjoy a glass of wine and a set of backgammon together, in addition to being occasional coaching partners. Kerber also credits Graf with the belief that in 2015 she could be a Grand Slam winner.
Since then, Kerber has won the Open of Australia and the United States. But she admitted that defeating Williams, winner of the Grand Slam 23 times, was something else. "My first memories were watching Steffi here, winning every game," she said with a smile. "I remember when I looked at her, everyone was playing blank on the grass field." 19659002 "But it's just amazing.I can not describe that feeling because when I was a kid I was always dreaming for that moment.To win Wimbledon, it's something really special. "
For Williams' previous six opponents, it was an honor to be on the court with her. Kerber, however, believed that she could beat her. But she admitted that there were moments of nervousness, especially in the end. "I knew I had to take my first chance because you never know with Serena," she said. "She always fights to the last point."
Kerber started playing tennis when she was three but she was far from a wonder overnight. It's only in 2011 – when she was 23 – that she finally made her breakthrough, reaching the semifinals of the US Open as the world number 92 . And when she became No.1 as a 28-year-old in 2016, she at the last point ran to the Royal Box and squeezed her coach Wim Fissette, whom she turned to after a bad 2017 season. Dropped in the rankings.
Fissette, who coached Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, Simona Halep and Jo Konta, is known for being highly detailed and analytical. During their seven months together, he has already improved the pep and the variety of his service and his power in his ground movements.
"We tried to improve my tennis by being more aggressive," said Kerber. "We also changed my service a bit – and the fact that I served well in important moments was one of the key points of the match."
Of course, Williams was far from the best. So often, when the American plays, tennis becomes a very simple equation: if it goes into its veritable groove, it triumphs. Yet she never settled. At the end of the first run, she made 14 unforced errors against 11 winners and she won only 14% of the points in her second serve. The second set was not much better as she made a series of bizarre failures, including a header volley in the last game.
Grass tends to soften Williams' weapons, especially his howitzer service and his ground hits. Kerber, however, feeds on power. And so many times she has been able to absorb the biggest hits of her opponent and return them with interest. The fact that the German hit 11 winners in total to just five unforced errors has told his own story.
Of course, Williams was disappointed. But when she looks back on that fortnight she will surely be inundated with an overwhelming pride. After all, only 10 months ago, she needed an emergency caesarean section while giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia, and she also suffered from blood clots and other complications. serious.
The problems were not just physical. As she admitted in Being Serena a recent documentary, they were also hiding in her mind. "There is no escape from fear," she said. "The fear that I will not come back as hard as me, the fear of not being both the best mother and the best tennis player in the world."
Perhaps after this defeat, these worries will subsist. But when Williams comes to the US Open, she will surely be even more hungry – and, as usual, will be the player whose opponents are most scared.
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