Vanderweghe ends Kerber’s Open reign

World No.1 and defending Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber has been bundled out of the tournament by unseeded American Coco Vandeweghe.

Vandeweghe was irrepressible in Sunday night’s late-finishing match on Rod Laver Arena, winning 6-2 6-3 in an hour and eight minutes.

Hitting 30 winners to seven, the 25-year-old completely exasperated Kerber, who was powerless and showed it.

The German threw her arms in the air in frustration several times as she watched balls pass her at the baseline without a hope of reaching them.

Kerber is the latest big name to exit the tournament before their seeding would suggest.

The top two men – Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic – and three of the top four women – Kerber, Aga Radwanska and Simona Halep – have departed in the Open’s first week.

Serena Williams will now be a prohibitive favourite to claim a seventh crown at Melbourne Park, but on the basis of Vandeweghe’s showing, she could also go all the way.

“It’s really special to play a number one player in the world on any stage. I believe its my first number one win so i’ll take that,” she said.

“Last year I came here and I didn’t even win a match and here I am now.”

Vandeweghe’s win advances her to just a second career slam quarter-final, where she will play Spanish seventh seed Garbine Muguruza.

Against Kerber, she set the tone from the opening game, won with two booming forehand winners.

The German gave up the break in the sixth game as Vanderweghe’s baseline bullets kept falling inside the court’s corners.

Momentum swung in the second set, with Kerber bursting out of the blocks to break Vandeweghe at the first time of asking. It didn’t hold.

Vandeweghe broke back to love, screaming a half-volley forehand down the line to stun the German again.

She finished the match by winning four straight games, ending Kerber’s run of 17 straight wins at the hardcourt majors.

After the win, the brash American revealed her overly confident persona had been an act.

“I faked it a lot because I was feeling like crap out there … what do they say, ‘fake it until you make it’?,” she said.

“When you play tough players, like you will in later rounds of tournaments, you can’t be showing you’re struggling or not confident.”

Kerber’s loss continues a poor run for newly-installed female number ones.

Five of the last seven have been dumped from their first major as top seed earlier than the quarter-finals.

And should Williams take the crown, she will regain the world No.1 ranking from Kerber after spending 19 weeks as second banana to the German.

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