Angelique kerber conquer's of the Australian open 2016

Angelique Kerber walked onto Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night as a first-time Grand Slam finalist. She walked off as the Australian Open 2016 champion, cradling the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after producing the performance of her life to beat defending champion Serena Williams 6-4 3-6 6-4.

Last year, Kerber lost in the first round at Melbourne Park. This year, she came back from match point down at the same stage, stunned two-time former champion Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals, then avoided a comedown against surprise semifinalist Johanna Konta. But the German saved her best for last, handing 21-time Grand Slam champion Williams just her fifth final defeat, and first in three sets.

The leftie left nothing out there – angles, passes, scrambles to all corners of the court and two nerveless drop shot winners propelled Kerber to her first Grand Slam title against the six-time and defending champion. Williams was not at her best – she hit six double faults, struggled with her forehand and gave up 17 of 32 points at the net – but the world No.1 has so often found a way in spite of herself when it matters.

Kerber simply wouldn’t allow Williams a way back into the match. The German hit just 13 unforced errors in the match – three in the both the first and third sets – while playing some of the best tennis of her career to seal victory in two hours and eight minutes.

“I was one leg on the plane to Germany,” said an emotional Kerber, referring to her first-round comeback against Japan’s Misaki Doi. “I take my chance to play against Serena. To win is my dream come true tonight.

“My whole life I was working really hard and now I’m here and can say I’m a Grand Slam champion – it’s crazy,” Kerber added. “I was enjoying this two weeks so, so much, the best two weeks of my career. I had goosebumps when I was playing.”