Australian Open 2016: Rejuvenated Serena Williams reaches 7th final; Angelique Kerber ends Johanna Konta’s dream run

Serena Williams made it to her seventh final at the Melbourne park. (Source: Reuters)

Serena Williams’ break from tennis at the end of last year to “just chill” appeared to have done her a world of good as the rejuvenated American bulldozed her way into the Australian Open final on Thursday.

The 34-year-old world number one totally demolished fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the first set before she emphatically sealed her place in a seventh Melbourne Park final with three aces in the final game in the 6-0 6-4 win.

Every time the American has made the final at Melbourne Park she has gone on to win the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.

“I needed time off just to take a minute and just chill and re-heal, get ready,” she said after the 64-minute battering of the Pole.

“I felt like I really committed myself … it’s just a great thing to be in the final after taking such a long time off.”

Williams withdrew from the last four months of 2015 after she was bundled out of the U.S. Open in the semi-finals by Italy’s Roberta Vinci, ending her hopes of emulating Steffi Graf’s calendar grand slam in 1988.

The American, however, can join Graf on 22 grand slam titles, the most in the Open era, if she beats Angelique Kerber, who considers her fellow German Graf as her idol, in Saturday’s final.

Despite not wanting to tempt fate, Williams added she did not want to repeat last year’s memories of the U.S. Open, tacitly sending Kerber a message she better be ready for a similar onslaught that Radwanska faced.

“I was one off last year, too,” Williams said.

“If I don’t win on Saturday, I’ll still be one off. It took me forever to get to 18. I was so stressed out. I don’t want to relive that at all.”

Kerber, who is in her first grand slam final, will need to hope that Williams does not play like she did against Radwanska.

The world number one broke the Pole’s serve in the first game with Radwanska’s lack of power highlighted by the blistering nature of the American’s returns.

Radwanska’s fastest serve in the first game reached just 140 kph. Williams was returning the ball at over 130.

Williams cleaned up the first set in just 20 minutes before Radwanska elicited the largest cheer of the match when she held serve in the first game of the second set, avoiding an embarrassing potential ‘double bagel’ 6-0 6-0 score.

Radwanska managed her first break in the sixth game of the second set to level it at 3-3, giving the crowd on Rod Laver Arena an opportunity to produce a roar of support.

Williams, however, Williams broke again in the ninth game and then served out to end Radwanska’s agony on Rod Laver Arena.

“Going against Aga, you have to be ready or be ready to go home (and) I was able to do everything that I needed to do,” she said.

“I’ve always said that when I’m playing at my best, it’s difficult to beat me.”

Kerber ends Konta’s dream run

Angelique Kerber ended Johanna Konta’s fairytale run at the Australian Open with a 7-5 6-2 victory on Thursday to earn a place in her first grand slam final.

Kerber, the first German woman to reach the Melbourne title decider in 20 years, subdued the British main draw debutante in 82 minutes to set up a meeting with reigning champion Serena Williams.

Konta, Britain’s first women’s semi-finalist at the Australian Open in 39 years, recovered from a nervous start to take the match to the seventh seed in a tight first set.

Kerber kept her composure, however, and secured a decisive break for 6-5 in the first set before overwhelming the world number 47 in the second, sealing victory when Konta went long with a backhand return.

“It’s a really special moment to reach the finals for the first time,” said Kerber.

“I was just trying to give everything on court. Johanna had a great two weeks and has a great future. She was a tough opponent and I’m sure she will win many tournaments.

“It’s great for German tennis to reach the final here. I got a lot of messages yesterday.”

Konta showed her understandable nerves with eight unforced errors in the opening two games and Kerber took full advantage to race to a 3-0 lead.

The Sydney-born Briton had beaten Venus Williams and last year’s semi-finalist Ekaterina Makarova on her remarkable run at Melbourne Park and hit back to win the next four games and put the set back on serve.

The German was guilty of trying to force winners at times but grabbed two break points at 5-5, converting the second when Konta slapped a forehand into the net at the end of a 10-shot rally.

The lefthander sealed the set with a simple net volley after another long rally and broke Konta to open the second, firing down her first ace to save a break point in the following game.

That was the last break point Konta was to earn and 28-year-old Kerber was soon contemplating the match-up with world number one Williams.

“I’m really looking forward to playing Serena in the final,” Kerber said. “It’s amazing to play the world number one in first grand slam of year.

“I must play my best tennis against her. I have nothing to lose and will give it everything and hopefully play good.”
Konta had no complaints about her defeat.

“I played against a better player today who earned her right to a grand slam final,” she said.

“But I’m really taking a lot of positives out of it … I’ve really enjoyed the battles, I think that has been a really good experience.”