Kerber stays cool for US final

Angelique Kerber might be favourite to win the US Open but the new world No 1 insists says she can cope with the added pressure in Saturday’s final with Karolina Pliskova.

Kerber will take to court at Flushing Meadows in New York knowing she will replace Serena Williams at the top of the rankings regardless of the outcome.

The 28-year-old, however, is expected to cap her new crown with a second Grand Slam title, to back up her maiden triumph at the Australian Open in January.

She is playing her third major final this year, after losing to Williams at the last hurdle at Wimbledon, and an opponent who had previously never gone past the third round of a major.

Kerber, once renowned for crumbling under the weight of expectation but eased past Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-final, said: “It was not so easy to go on court because I knew before I started that if Serena lost of course that I will be the No 1 .

“It was not easy mentally but I was trying to not put too much pressure on myself. That shows me also that I think I’m growing and I’m not putting the pressure on my shoulders if something …

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