"Angelique Kerber"

Angelique Kerber (born 18 January 1988 in Bremen) is a professional German tennis player who is currently ranked at a career high of world number six, a ranking she first achieved on 20 August 2012. As such, Kerber is currently the highest ranked German in the WTA Rankings.

Kerber has competed as a professional since 2003, and has won 11 ITF titles, and two WTA titles at the 2012 Open GDF Suez and the 2012 e-Boks Open. Kerber's best Grand Slam results have come at the 2011 US Open and the 2012 Wimbledon Championships where she was a semifinalist and the 2012 French Open where she reached the quarterfinals.

She was born in Bremen, to father Sławomir Kerber and mother Beata, and has one sister. Both of her parents are German Polish. She started playing tennis at age 3, eventually joining the junior circuit, making inroads at events in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, but didn't win a junior title before 2003 at which point she turned professional at the age of 15. Kerber speaks German, Polish and English.

In 2003 obtained her first top 100 victory by defeating Marion Bartoli in the qualifying draw of the WTA German Open 3–6, 6–3, 6–4.

In 2004 Kerber started the year by reaching the finals of an ITF event in Warsaw losing to Marta Domachowska 7–6, 3–6, 6–3 in the finals. She attained her first ITF title entering as a qualifier in Opole, Poland, by defeating Elena Tatarkova 6–2, 6–2 in the finals.

2005, Kerber competed in the ITF events and qualifying draw, she was able to reach one final in the ITF event in Monzon losing to Olena Antypina 6–3, 6–3.

2006 was a more successful year for the German as reached 4 ITF finals winning 3 of them, she reached the finals in Přerov, Czech Republic losing to Anne Keothavong 6–4, 7–5, she then won her three events in Saguenay, Canada she defeated Valérie Tétreault 5–7, 7–5, 7–6 in the finals and two in Great Britain in Glasgow defeating Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6–4, 6–2 and in French Irena Pavlovic in Jersey 2. 2006 was also the year that Kerber attained her first WTA tour Main Draw victory over Romina Oprandi 6–1, 4–6, 4–1 RET a world no. 48 at that time at the Gaz de France Stars before losing to Ana Ivanović.

2007 was a breakthrough year for Kerber as she won 4 titles defending her title in Seguanay defeating compatriot Sabine Lisicki 6–3, 6–4 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain over Petra Cetkovská 6–2, 1–6, 6–4 and ITF event in Turkey defeating Gaelle Widmer 3–6, 6–4, 6–1, in Přerov, Czech Republic defeating Klára Zakopalová 6–3, 1–6, 7–5. She also reached three other finals finishing runner-ups. 2007 was Kerber Grand Slam debut as she competed in the 2007 French Open losing to Elena Dementieva, 2007 Wimbledon losing to Anna Chakvetadze and the 2007 US Open losing to Serena Williams all in the first rounds. She reached her first Main Draw Quarterfinals at the 2007 Ordina Open losing to eventual champion Anna Chakvetadze 6–2, 6–2.

In 2010, Kerber qualified for the 2010 Australian Open where she reached her first third round in a Grand Slam by upsetting Olga Govortsova 6–3, 6–3 and 23rd seed Aravane Rezaï 6–2, 6–3 before losing to Svetlana Kuznetsova in a close three-setter 3–6, 7–5, 6–4. She the reached her first WTA Tour finals in 2010 Copa Sony Ericsson Colsanitas losing to Mariana Duque Mariño 6–4, 6–3 after upsetting top-seed Gisela Dulko 7–5, 6–3 in the semi-finals. She then reached the second round of 2010 MPS Group Championships losing to Varvara Lepchenko. She also reached the third round of 2010 Family Circle Cup losing to Daniela Hantuchová 6–7, 7–5, 6–3 and the Quarterfinals of the 2010 Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem losing to Renata Voráčová 7–5, 6–2. At the 2010 French Open she lost in the second round to Aravane Rezaï 6–2, 2–6, 6–3. In grass she reached the third round of 2010 AEGON Classic losing to eventual champion Li Na and the first round of 2010 UNICEF Open losing to Justine Henin. She played in the 2010 Wimbledon Championships where she made it in the third round after defeating Sania Mirza 6–4, 6–1 and upsetting 13th seed Shahar Pe'er 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 then losing to Jarmila Groth 6–3, 7–5.

Kerber reached her first quarter-final of the year at the start of the season at 2011 Moorilla Hobart International before losing to Bethanie Mattek-Sands. That led to a six match losing streak which lasted until the 2011 The Bahamas Women's Open, where she reached the final before losing to Anastasia Yakimova. She then reached the second round at the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open, losing to Francesca Schiavone. Kerber lost in the first round of Wimbledon to 17 year old Laura Robson 6–4, 6–7, 3–6.

Kerber entered the US Open ranked 92 in the world. After defeating young American Lauren Davis in three sets, she came up against 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round and pulled off a shock 6–3, 4–6, 6–3 result to advance to the third round for the first time. There, she faced unseeded Russian Alla Kudryavtseva, winning in straight sets, and followed it up with victory in the fourth round against Monica Niculescu, 6–4, 6–3. Appearing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final, Kerber surprised 26th seed Flavia Pennetta 6–4, 4–6, 6–3, to advance to the semi-final, where she lost against 9th seed, and eventual champion, Samantha Stosur 3–6, 6–2, 2–6. Kerber reached a career high ranking of 34 at tournament end.

Kerber's first tournament was the 2012 ASB Classic. She defeated Marina Erakovic in the first round 4–6, 6–4, 6–4. She defeated the fifth seed, Julia Görges, in the second round 6–2, 6–3. She then defeated top seed, Sabine Lisicki, in the Quarter-Final when Lisicki retired due to a back injury at a score of 6–4, 4–3. She lost her semi-final match to fourth seed Flavia Pennetta 1–6, 2–6.

At the 2012 Australian Open, Kerber was the thirtieth seed. In the first round, she defeated Wildcard Australian Bojana Bobusic 6–1, 6–3. In the second, she faced Canadian Stéphanie Dubois and she defeated her 7–5, 6–1. In third round, she faced fourth seed Maria Sharapova and lost 1–6, 2–6. She rose to her career high singles ranking of World Number 27.

At the 2012 Fed Cup, Kerber played for her country of Germany alongside Sabine Lisicki, Julia Görges and Anna-Lena Grönefeld and they faced the Czech Republic Fed Cup team. Her only match was a singles match which she played against Lucie Hradecká. She won the match 6–4, 6–4 producing Germany's only win in the play-off.

Her next tournament was the Open GDF Suez where she was the ninth seed and where she won her first ever WTA Title. In the first round, she faced Lucie Šafářová and won 6–2, 7–6. In the second round, she faced Monica Niculescu and beat her 6–3, 4–6, 6–3. She faced the number one seed Maria Sharapova in the quarter-final and beat her in straight sets with a score of 6–4, 6–4. This set up a semi-final match between unseeded Yanina Wickmayer. Kerber won the semi-final 6–7, 6–3, 6–4 to reach her second ever WTA final. She played second seed Marion Bartoli in the final. Kerber won the first set 7–6 and took a early 3–0 lead in the second. Bartoli came back to level the score at 5–5 and eventually took the set 5–7. Kerber shot to a 4–0 lead in the third and finished the set with a 6–3 score to close out the match.

She then entered the 2012 Qatar Total Open where she met and beat ninth seed Sabine Lisicki in the first round with a score of 4–6, 6–4, 6–1. She lost to unseeded Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova in the second round.

Kerber's next tournament was the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Receiving a bye in the 1st round as the 18th seed, she defeated up and coming Sloane Stephens in a miraculous comeback from 6–2 5–1 40–15 down;facing two match points in winning 2–6 7–5 6–4, advanced to the 4th round via W/O by Vania King, then produced another come from behind win against another dangerous player, Christina McHale, coming back from 4–1 down in the 3rd set and facing match points at 6–5 down to win 6–3 3–6 7–6, upsetting 8th seed Na Li in the quarter-finals 6–4 6–2 before her great week came to an end, losing to number one player in the world and eventual champion Victoria Azarenka 6–4 6–3. Her ranking improved to a career high of No.14 as a result of that fantastic run in California. As the 14th seed at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Kerber was expected to do well there, but was upset in her opener (received a bye in the 1st round) against Zheng Jie, 7–6 6–1.

Her next stop was at the E-Boks Sony Ericsson Open in Copenhagen where she was the 2nd seed. In her opener, she was pushed to the limit as she struggled past little known Stephanie Foretz Gacon, 4–6 6–2 7–5, she had to grind out two more 3 set wins against Anne Keothavong, 4–6 6–3 6–3 and dangerous fellow German Mona Barthel 6–2 0–6 7–5 (coming from 5–2 down in 3rd set and saving m.p's at 5–4 down) in her 2nd round and quarter-final matches, respectively. After three tough wins, she crushed 3rd seed and former world no.1 Jelena Janković 6–2 6–1 to reach her third career final (2nd this year). She won the title beating the top seed and defending champion Caroline Wozniacki with the score of 6–4, 6–4.

Kerber represented Germany in Fed Cup against Australia in Stuttgart, losing to world no. 5 Samantha Stosur 7–6 6–4 in a tough contest, and beating Olivia Rogowska 6–3 6–3. Germany lost the tie 3–2. In The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, she advanced to the quarter-finals, with wins over Roberta Vinci and 6th seed Caroline Wozniacki 6–2 6–1 before losing to third seed Petra Kvitová 6–4 6–4.

Kerber reached the final of Eastbourne grass-court tournament, losing to Tamira Paszek, 5–7, 6–3, 7–5 having served for the championship at 5–3 in the deciding set and missing five match points.

At 2012 Wimbledon Championships, Kerber was seeded #8. In the first round she defeated Lucie Hradecká with the score of 6–4, 6–1. In the second round, she defeated the Russian, Ekaterina Makarova with the score of 7–5, 6–3. She also defeated the #28 seed Christina McHale 6–2, 6–3. In the fourth round, she won easily against the former number 1, Kim Clijsters, with an astonishing score of 6–1, 6–1. She booked a placed in the Quarterfinals in just 49 minutes. In the Quarters, she beat the fellow German and #15 seed Sabine Lisicki in 3 sets with a score of 6–3, 6–7, 7–5 after being down 3–5 in the 3rd set. In the semi final, she lost 6–3, 6–4 to #3 seed Agnieszka Radwańska.

In the 2012 London Olympics, Kerber was ranked No. 7. She beat Petra Cetkovská 6–3, 3–0(r) in the first round, Tímea Babos 6–1, 6–1 in the second round and Venus Williams 7–6 (7–5), 7–6 (7–5) in the third round before losing to No. 1 seed Victoria Azarenka 6–4, 7–5 in the quarter final.

Her first tournament of the 2012 US Open Series was the 2012 Rogers Cup, where she lost in the third round to Roberta Vinci 6-2, 7-6. She then played the 2012 Western & Southern Open.She beat Timea Babos in the second round 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 and Andrea Hlavàčkovà in the 3rd round 6-4, 7-6. In the quarter finals Kerber beat Serena Williams for the first time, winning 6-4, 6-4. This snapped Williams 19 match winning streak. She then defeated Petra Kvitova in the semi finals on August 18 2012. However, she fell to Li Na in the final in three sets. At the US Open, Kerber, as a 6th seed, struggled to find a victory over unseeded Venus Williams in a 6-2 5-7 7-5 victory in the second round. She lost in the fourth round 7-6 6-3 to Sara Errani, the number 10th seed.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org