MELBOURNE, Australia — After all the advice that Steffi Graf gave her, Angelique Kerber was able to return a favor to the retired champion on Saturday.
Graf's record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles in the Open era is intact — for now — after Kerber staged a stunning upset of No. 1-ranked Serena Williams to win her first major at the Australian Open.
It means Williams' tally of majors stays at 21 and the list of Grand Slam champions gets an elated and exuberant newcomer.
"This is the first big tournament of the year, and I won it, the first Grand Slam.