Melbourne: A tearful Angelique Kerber stunned an errant Serena Williams to win the Australian Open on Saturday and thwart the American top seed&rsquo;s bid to equal Steffi Graf&rsquo;s Open-era record of 22 Grand Slam titles.
Also read: <a href="http://www.mid-day.com/articles/angelique-kerber-dethrones-serena-to-lift-maiden-australian-open-title/16911171" target="_blank">Angelique Kerber dethrones Serena to lift maiden Australian Open title</a>
<img title="Serena Williams reacts after her defeat to Angelique Kerber (left) at Melbourne Park on Saturday. Pics/Getty Images" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2016/jan/31Serena-Williams.jpg" alt="Serena Williams reacts after her defeat to Angelique Kerber (left) at Melbourne Park on Saturday. Pics/Getty Images" /> Serena Williams reacts after her defeat to Angelique Kerber (below) at Melbourne Park on Saturday. Pics/Getty Images
In a huge upset, the seventh seed toppled the 34-year-old 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win her maiden major title and become the first German Grand Slam champion since Graf at the 1999 French Open.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2016/jan/31Angelique-Kerber.jpg" alt="" />
Williams, the World No 1 and defending champion, had won all six previous Melbourne Park finals she had played and had also triumphed in her last eight Grand Slam deciders. But Kerber, inspired by a good luck message from Graf, knew all the pressure was on her opponent and she mercilessly exploited her weaknesses in a thriller at Rod Laver Arena.
"My whole life I was working really hard and now I&rsquo;m here and I can say I&rsquo;m a Grand Slam champion, so it sounds really crazy," she said, choking back tears. "The best two weeks of my life and career. I had goose bumps here on the centre court when I was playing."
Also read: <a href="http://www.mid-day.com/articles/australian-open-all-pressure-on-serena-williams-says-angelique-kerber/16909194" target="_blank">Australian Open - All pressure on Serena Williams, says Angelique Kerber</a>
The left-handed German, whose win will see her move up from World No 6 to 2, has had an emphasis on consistency in Melbourne, patiently building control of the point as rallies develop. It worked well with the 28-year-old, who had never beaten a World No 1 before, dropping just one set en route to the final, in the opening round to Miskai Doi when she saved a match point.
Williams had been in imperious form, but too many errors cost her dearly against an opponent she had beaten five times before and lost only once.

German seventh-seed stuns World No 1 Serena Williams 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win Australian Open

Australian Open: Angelique Kerber is queen of Melbourne

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Australian Open: Angelique Kerber is queen of Melbourne

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