ANGELIQUE KERBER IN PRESS CONFRERENCE. APIA INTERNACIONAL SYDNEY 2014.

Angelique Kerber has completed the women’s final line-up at Apia International Sydney 2014 after beating American Madison Keys in straight sets. The fifth-seeded Kerber beat the 18-year-old 6-4 6-2 to set up a decider against qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova, who earlier upset No.2 seed Petra Kvitova. The match featured big hitting from both women and plenty of entertaining rallies that saw them cover every inch of the court, yet it was the German’s greater consistency and experience, plus her increased commitment to aggressive tennis, that ultimately helped her seal a rather comfortable victory. “I think right now I try to be more aggressive than some months ago and try to play my game plan from the first point, and it’s working. So I think that’s better than last year,” said Kerber, who reached the semifinals at the Apia International in 2013. It was a slightly slow start for the German as she worked to adjust to the powerful shotmaking and booming serves coming from Keys’ end of the court, but when down a break point in the fourth game, she calmly slotted a forehand winner down the line, and never looked back. Keys, playing in her first WTA Premier-level semifinal, stayed true to her aggressive game but began to misfire, yanking a backhand wide in the fifth game and following that up with a double fault to surrender her serve.

 The American shrugged off that disappointment, recovering from 40-0 down in the sixth game – helped by a scintillating running pass winner – and breaking back for 3-3. “She’s a great, talented player, and I knew this before the match because I had a great, tough match last year at Melbourne against her,” Kerber said. “She served very well today, and I think I had a great return. I think that was also the key in this match.” Games progressed on serve until the No.5 seed scored the decisive break to lead 5-4. And this time she consolidated it, forcing an error from Keys’ racquet thanks to a powerful crosscourt backhand and pocketing the opening set. When Kerber broke serve to immediately open the set, Keys’ response was to press harder, yet to no avail. As she sent a groundstroke long over the baseline in the second game she became visibly flustered, and dumped a forehand into the net straight after that to fall behind 2-0. At 3-0 the 18-year-old called for her coach and the pep-talk appeared to work, as she broke Kerber’s serve to get on the board in the very next game. A forehand winner and an ace closed the gap to 3-2, and when she pounded another winner to open the sixth game, a revival looked on the cards. Yet Kerber was very quick to shut it down. Anticipating well, she rifled a pair of backhand crosscourt passing shots for winners to move ahead 4-2, and benefitted as the American coughed up three errors to drop serve once more. Serving out the match was a mere formality – the German didn’t drop a point. “I’m very happy about the way I played, and second tournament and I’m in the final first time this year,” she said. “I think I had great matches, and also before Melbourne I’m feeling good. I’m feeling good here in Sydney. I just enjoy my tennis.” It was all over in just over an hour, and Kerber now faces an opponent playing in her first career WTA final. She’ll be the heavy favourite, and finds herself presented with a great chance to add to her haul of tournament trophies, which currently numbers three. “I think I played once or twice against her, but I know it will be a tough match tomorrow,” Kerber said. “She played here the whole week very good, and for sure I need to be ready from the very first point and play good tennis to beat her.”