Kerber celebrates win with dip in Yarra river

Melbourne: Angelique Kerber celebrated her stunning Australian Open final victory over Serena Williams by taking a swim in the Yarra river next to Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.

Kerber, who also sprayed bubbly and posed with the trophy at Melbourne’s Government House, took the chilly plunge along with members of her team.

The stunt has echoes of Jim Courier’s celebration in 1992 when he dived in the Yarra, which flows through downtown Melbourne and past the tennis venue, after winning the men’s title.

With Saturday’s 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over Williams, the world number one and a 21-time Grand Slam winner, Kerber, 28, secured her first major title and jumped from sixth to second in the women’s rankings.

Australian press trumpeted the victory, with Melbourne’s Herald Sun headlining “Ker-blimey!” and “Angel’s in heaven”, calling it “one of the greatest upsets in a Grand Slam”.

“The best two weeks of my life and career. I had goose bumps here on the centre court when I was playing,” Kerber said after the final.

There was no rest for Kerber though after a whirlwind of partying and engagements before jetting home on Sunday to prepare for the Fed Cup.

After countless interviews, posing for pictures and undergoing a drugs test, Kerber eventually got back to her hotel around 3:00 am local time on Sunday morning, then went straight out partying.

The new world number two made the plunge along with her team, including coach Torben Beltz and physiotherapist Simon Iden, plus a German Eurosport commentator, who made a bet with Kerber to jump in the river if she won.

“It was cold, but it was worth it,” said Kerber after her dip.

“I haven’t slept for a minute, I only had appointments to get to,” she told broadcaster ZDF, having become the first German since Steffi Graf in 1999 to win a Grand Slam title.

“I managed to eat a banana after the final and then it was the next day.

“I had never been so tired as in that moment,” she said after a night of partying as, despite only leaving the stadium in the early hours, “we still managed to go for a drink,” Kerber added with a grin.

“I still can’t believe it. I’ve made history. A dream has come true.

“I’m ready for anything now - even the wedding with ‘Petko’,” she joked after her Fed Cup team-mate Andrea Petkovic wrote: “Angelique, you’re crazy! I want to marry you!” on Twitter.

After posing for her official winner’s photo in Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens, Kerber flew back to Europe on Sunday night and had the chance to catch up on sleep on the long flight via Bangkok to Frankfurt, Germany, then onto Posen in Poland.

From there, she will drive to Puszczykowo, where she lives near to her grandparents.

“We’ll celebrate there with some sparkling drink. I am really looking forward to getting home,” she said.

“My family have always stood by me and given me strength, even in moments when I didn’t believe in myself.”