Former World No.1 Angelique Kerber returned to tennis after nearly 18 months, featuring in the 2024 United Cup. She was one of the best WTA players during her heydays, achieving a rare double over Serena Williams. The German is among the only two women to defeat the American legend in more than one Grand Slam final.
Kerber last played in the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, following which she announced her pregnancy. She delivered a daughter, named Liana, in February 2023. She has been working on a comeback ever since. Now, at 35, she stepped onto the court after to represent Germany in the United Cup.
Kerber has reached four Grand Slam finals, winning three. Out of these three, two championship match wins came against Williams. This made her only the second person to defeat Serena in multiple Majors finals. The only other person to complete this double is the 23-time Grand Slam winner’s elder sister, Venus Williams.
Serena Williams was in one of the most dominant phases of her career in 2015-16, having won three Grand Slams in 2015. Kerber halted her incredible run in the 2016 Australian Open. She defeated Williams in the final to bag her first Majors title. The American entered the final looking imperious, having bageled fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the semi-final. #7 seed Kerber, however, was up to the task in the summit clash and won 6–4, 3–6, 6–4. The duo clashed again in Wimbledon that year and Williams got her revenge.
Kerber, though, avenged the 2016 Wimbledon final defeat two years later in the same event. She exhibited great form throughout the 2018 Wimbledon, dropping only one set. Serena played the event with a Protected Ranking as the two faced off in a rematch of the 2016 final. This time, however, Kerber won 6-3, 6-3 for her third Grand Slam title.
In doing so, she defeated Serena in two Grand Slam finals, a feat previously achieved only by Venus. The elder Williams beat her younger sister in the 2001 US Open and 2008 Wimbledon. Serena Williams played 33 Majors finals, winning 23 and losing 10, but only two players beat her twice.
Angelique Kerber will look to hit the ground running at the 2024 United Cup
Angelique Kerber returned at the 2024 United Cup, representing Germany as the nation’s leading women’s singles player with her Protected Ranking. The European nation qualified on ATP World No.7 Alexander Zverev’s rank. Kerber and Zverev are the leading singles players while Maximilian Marterer and Tatjana Maria are Germany’s second-best. Kai Wehnelt and Laura Siegemund will be the country’s mixed doubles duo.
Germany will kickstart their United Cup campaign in Group D against Italy in Perth. Kerber will face World No.30 Jasmine Paolini in the women’s singles fixture. Germany will then play France where the returning star will face 2022 WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia. If they top their group, they will face the winner of Group F, which consists of Norway, Netherlands, and Croatia.
Kerber will look to find her feet in the 2024 United Cup with the 2024 Australian Open on her mind. The three-time Grand Slam winner has not confirmed her participation in any other build-up tournament.
