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Kerber helps countrywoman Graf stay solo at the top of tennis

Kerber helps countrywoman Graf stay solo at the top of tennis

MELBOURNE, Australia – Angelique Kerber shocked the tennis world Saturday night as the first-time Grand Slam finalist defeated 21-time champion Serena Williams. Williams had never lost an Australian Open final. She's gone to three sets in eight previous finals, and won every time.

All signs pointed to Williams winning her 22nd title on Saturday night, but after 2 hours, 8 minutes, it was Kerber hoisting the trophy on court at Rod Laver Arena. She is the first German player to win a Grand Slam in this century – and by winning, she protected fellow German Steffi Graf's record for most Grand Slams in the Open Era. Had Williams won, she would have been tied with Graf at the top.

Graf messaged Kerber after her semifinal win on Thursday. If she'd messaged her again Saturday, Kerber wasn't aware. At her press conference, which started nearly two hours after the match ended, Kerber had her phone plugged into the wall.

"My phone, it's charging there," she said. "So I don't know I was just able to call my mom, my parents, my grandparents, and that's it. So I have no idea."

"I mean, my phone is exploding right now. I don't know how many messages I get. It's like amazing."

There's probably a message on there from Graf – and every other person who knows Kerber's numbers. She just won a Grand Slam. It took her 33 Grand Slam appearances to reach this point. She was the first woman since 1977 to win an Australian Open a year after being knocked out in the first round of an Australian Open. And as she pulled off the supposedly impossible, she kept her fellow German at the top of the game, at least for now.