TENNIS – Angelique Kerber, number 5 seed, battled past this year’s Australian Open Madison Keys 6-2 4-6 7-5 to win the Charleston WTA Premier level final bouncing back from a difficult period in which she lost six of her last eight matches and dropped to World Number 16. After recovering from a 2-4 deficit in her first round match against Evgenia Rodina, She went on to beat her friend and compatriot Andrea Petkovic with 6-4 6-4 in the semifinal. Diego Sampaolo
Kerber went up 2-0 in the first set before failing to convert on two break points in the thid game. Keys broke serve to love but she dropped her serve for the second time in the set. Keys did not convert on three break points to go down 2-4 before dropping her serve again. Kerber clinched the first set with 6-2 but Keys bounced back forcing the match to the third set by winning the second set with 6-4. In the 8th game of the second set Kerber saved a break point which would have enabled Keys to serve for the set. In the following game. In the next game Kerber failed to convert a break point chance at 30-40. Keys saved her serve in the most crucial moment of the match before breaking serve in the tenth game. Keys closed out the second set on her third set point.
In the third set Kerber brought up break points in the first two games but Keys was able to save them. Keys converted on her first break point chance in the fourth game but Kerber broke back in the seventh game to to draw level to 4-4. Keys won the 10-minute ninth game at the seventh opportunity by saving two break points The German held her serve to draw level to 5-5 before getting the break in the 11th game for 6-5 before winning the final game to love on serve for 7-5. Kerber clinched her fourth WTA title after Paris Indoor in 2012, Copenhagen in 2012 and Linz in 2013..
Kerber took a re-match against Keys who beat her with 6-3 3-6 7-5 in Eastbourne last year. The German has won her first time since Linz 2013. Kerber will move up to 14th in the WTA Ranking. Keys will improve her best ranking moving up to 17th.
Kerber hit 17 winners to 21 unforced errors. Keys produced 49 winners but committed 57 unforced errors.
The Charleston final between Keys and Kerber was a re-match of last year’s final in Eastbourne where Keys won 7-5 in the third set.
“It’s unbelievable. To win here after the difficult weeks I had, I am feeling great. Last year I had four finals and I did not win any of them, so it’s great that I actually won this one”, said Kerber.
