Olympics
Among other astonishing accomplishments, the German played Serena Williams in three Grand Slam finals—and won twice.
ByJoel Drucker
Published Jul 31, 2024
© Getty Images
Angelique Kerber, perhaps the most surprising multiple-time Grand Slam singles champion in recent memory, has officially retired from tennis.
A winner of three singles majors who held the world No. 1 ranking for 34 weeks, the 36-year-old played her final match representing Germany at the Paris Olympic Games. After defeating Naomi Osaka, Jacqueline Critsian and Leylah Fernandez in Paris—her first singles wins since may—Kerber’s career ended with a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6) loss to Zheng Qinwen.
Making her living in a realm where youthful success tends to be more prevalent, Kerber was the rare case of a late-blooming contender turned champion. On the first day of the 2016 Australian Open, Kerber turned 28. In the first round, she fought off a match point against Misaki Doi. Five wins later, Kerber had advanced to her first Grand Slam singles final. The assignment was daunting: Serena Williams, who by that time had won six Australian Open titles.
But Kerber was improbably up to the task, winning that match, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
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It’s my dream come true. Now I can say I’m a Grand Slam champion, and it sounds really crazy. Angelique Kerber, after winning her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne.
Kerber attributed some of her success in her breakout 2016 season to a visit the prior year with fellow German Stefanie Graf. Spending several days with the Hall of Famer in Las Vegas, Kerber took in advice like a poker shark takes pots.
“I learned a lot on the trip, and it simply is something very special when Steffi is standing next to you and telling you things,” said Kerber. “She got rid of my doubts.”
Following her great run Down Under, Kerber had a year every player dreams of. First, a great effort at Wimbledon, where Kerber played well before losing to Serena in the final, 7-5, 6-3. At the US Open, Kerber won her six matches without dropping a set. Facing Karolina Pliskova—who along the way had beaten both Venus and Serena—in the final, Kerber rallied from 1-3 down in the third to take the trophy and, eventually, finish the year ranked No. 1.
“I was always dreaming to being one day to being No. 1 and to be in the Grand Slams,” said Kerber that day. “I’m not 18, so I was always trying to improving my game. I knew that I have the game to beat the best players and just being patient and working really hard.”
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The next year, Kerber came down to earth, failing to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal, losing in the first round of the US Open and finishing 2017 outside the Top 20.
And then, in 2018, Kerber surprised the world yet again. Seeded 11th at Wimbledon, she reached the final. Her four prior opponents were formidable: Naomi Osaka, Belinda Bencic, Daria Kasatkina, Jelena Ostapenko. Once again, Kerber faced Serena. And once again, Kerber played remarkable tennis, earning a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
Said Kerber, “I think it’s a completely new feeling because 2016 everything starts where I won my first Grand Slam. Here, especially after 2017 when I think nobody was expecting me so strong back, to coming back how I came, to winning my third Grand Slam, winning Wimbledon, which was always my dream. I think two weeks ago nobody expected I can go so far.”
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Perhaps the most incredible MATCH stat of Kerber's career—she hit 11 winners to just 5 unforced errors against Serena in the 2018 Wimbledon final.
© AFP via Getty Images
Like Rafael Nadal, Kerber was a natural righthander who played tennis as a lefty. No shot revealed the challenges of this more than Kerber’s frequently shallow second serve (interestingly, her overhead was excellent). This weakness made it easy to think that Kerber was a defensive player—but in many ways, it was more accurate to view her as an aggressor, masquerading as a counterpuncher.
This was particularly vivid off the forehand side. At her best, Kerber could both sharply angle it crosscourt in that familiar southpaw way, or wait a few milliseconds longer and lace it up the line. Kerber’s strength off the right side also made it possible for her to generate excellent leverage with her backhand.
All told, Kerber won 14 singles tournaments, with 18 runner-ups. (Her record in Grand Slam finals: 3-1. Her record in finals at the Olympics, season-ending championships and Premier 5/Premier Mandatory/Premier 1000 tournaments: 0-7.) When it came to team play, she three times represented Germany in the Olympics (2012, 2016 and 2024) and competed extensively in Fed Cup (now Billie Jean King Cup), compiling a 14-14 record in singles.
Kerber and her partner, Franco Bianco, welcomed their daughter, Liana, into the world on February 25, 2023. When Liana is told of the story of Kerber’s career, she’d best get comfortable.
