2016 Australian Open – Women's Singles

Women's Singles
2016 Australian Open
Champion	Angelique Kerber
Runner-up	Serena Williams
Final score	6–4, 3–6, 6–4

Serena Williams was the defending champion, and attempting for the second time to equal Steffi Graf's career record of 22 major singles titles. But she lost in the final to Angelique Kerber, 4–6, 6–3, 4–6. Kerber became the first major champion to save a match point in the first round, which she did against Misaki Doi.^[1] She is also the first German of either sex to win a major since Graf at the 1999 French Open.^[2][3] The two would face a rematch 5 months later in the 2016 Wimbledon final (the first time two women have contested two major singles finals against one another in a single season since 2006); unlike in this tournament, Williams would defeat Kerber in two sets.

The top three seeds (Williams, Simona Halep and Garbiñe Muguruza) were in contention for the world No. 1 ranking at the beginning of the tournament. However, Halep and Muguruza were eliminated in the first and third rounds, respectively, with Williams retaining the top spot at the end of the tournament.

The twelve seeds that lost in the opening round was the most in the opening round of any major tournament since the 32-seed draw was adopted at the 2001 Wimbledon Championships.^[4]

Johanna Konta became the first British woman to reach the semi-final of a major since Jo Durie in 1983.^[5] Zhang Shuai became the first qualifier to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals since Angélica Gavaldón in 1990.^[6]

Seeds

01.   Serena Williams (Final) 02.   Simona Halep (First round) 03.   Garbiñe Muguruza (Third round) 04.   Agnieszka Radwańska (Semifinals) 05.   Maria Sharapova (Quarterfinals, disqualified*) 06.   Petra Kvitová (Second round) 07.   Angelique Kerber (Champion) 08.   Venus Williams (First round) 09.   Karolína Plíšková (Third round) 10.   Carla Suárez Navarro (Quarterfinals) 11.   Timea Bacsinszky (Second round) 12.   Belinda Bencic (Fourth round) 13.   Roberta Vinci (Third round) 14.   Victoria Azarenka (Quarterfinals) 15.   Madison Keys (Fourth round) 16.   Caroline Wozniacki (First round)

17.   Sara Errani (First round) 18.   Elina Svitolina (Second round) 19.   Jelena Janković (Second round) 20.   Ana Ivanovic (Third round) 21.   Ekaterina Makarova (Fourth round) 22.   Andrea Petkovic (First round) 23.   Svetlana Kuznetsova (Second round) 24.   Sloane Stephens (First round) 25.   Samantha Stosur (First round) 26.   Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (First round) 27.   Anna Karolína Schmiedlová (First round) 28.   Kristina Mladenovic (Third round) 29.   Irina-Camelia Begu (First round) 30.   Sabine Lisicki (Second round) 31.   Lesia Tsurenko (First round) 32.   Caroline Garcia (First round)

Click on the seed number of a player to go to their draw section.

Note: Maria Sharapova reached the quarterfinals. However, a few months later she revealed that she had tested positive for Meldonium, a banned substance. The ITF Tribunal decided she would be banned from competition for two years, and forced to disqualify her results, prize money, and ranking points from the tournament. ^[7]

Qualifying

Wildcards

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild Card
• LL = Lucky Loser
• Alt = Alternate
• SE = Special Exempt
• PR = Protected Ranking
• w/o = Walkover
• r = Retired
• d = Defaulted

Finals

	Quarterfinals							Semifinals							Final
	1	Serena Williams	6	6
	5	Maria Sharapova	4	1
								1	Serena Williams	6	6
								4	Agnieszka Radwańska	0	4
	4	Agnieszka Radwańska	6	6
	10	Carla Suárez Navarro	1	3
															1	Serena Williams	4	6	4
															7	Angelique Kerber	6	3	6
	7	Angelique Kerber	6	7
	14	Victoria Azarenka	3	5
								7	Angelique Kerber	7	6
									Johanna Konta	5	2
		Johanna Konta	6	6
	Q	Zhang Shuai	4	1

Top half

Section 1

	First Round							Second Round							Third round							Fourth round
	1	S Williams	6	7
		C Giorgi	4	5				1	S Williams	6	6
		S-w Hsieh	3	7	6				S-w Hsieh	1	2
		J Ostapenko	6	5	1										1	S Williams	6	6
		U Radwańska	6	4	3											D Kasatkina	1	1
		A Konjuh	0	6	6				A Konjuh	4	3
		D Kasatkina	6	6					D Kasatkina	6	6
	27	AK Schmiedlová	3	3																		1	S Williams	6	6
	17	S Errani	6	5	1																		M Gasparyan	2	1
		M Gasparyan	1	7	6				M Gasparyan	6	6
		K Nara	7^7	6					K Nara	4	4
	WC	O Dodin	6^2	2												M Gasparyan	6	6
		M Duque	2	1^r												Y Putintseva	3	4
	WC	X Han	6	2				WC	X Han	3	1
		Y Putintseva	1	7^7	6				Y Putintseva	6	6
	16	C Wozniacki	6	6^3	4

Section 2

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Fourth Round
	12	B Bencic	6	6
		A Riske	4	3				12	B Bencic	6	6
		H Watson	7^7	5	5				T Babos	3	3
		T Babos	6^4	7	7										12	B Bencic	4	6	6
		A Tomljanović	6^2	3												K Bondarenko	6	2	4
		K Bondarenko	7^7	6					K Bondarenko	6	7
		D Hantuchová	0	2				23	S Kuznetsova	1	5
	23	S Kuznetsova	6	6																		12	B Bencic	5	5
	26	A Pavlyuchenkova	6	3	4																	5	M Sharapova	7	7
		L Davis	1	6	6				L Davis	7^9	0
		M Rybáriková	3	6	7				M Rybáriková	6^7	0^r
		Y Wickmayer	6	3	5											L Davis	1	7^7	0
		A Sasnovich	6	7^7											5	M Sharapova	6	6^5	6
		E Rodina	3	6^2					A Sasnovich	2	1
		N Hibino	1	3				5	M Sharapova	6	6
	5	M Sharapova	6	6

Section 3

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Fourth Round
	4	A Radwańska	6	6
		C McHale	2	3				4	A Radwańska	6	6
		E Bouchard	6	6					E Bouchard	4	2
		A Krunić	3	4											4	A Radwańska	6	6
		M Linette	3	0												M Puig	4	0
		M Puig	6	6					M Puig	4	7^8	9
	Q	Kr Plíšková	6	7^8				Q	Kr Plíšková	6	6^6	7
	25	S Stosur	4	6^6																		4	A Radwańska	6^6	6	7
	24	S Stephens	3	3																			A-L Friedsam	7^8	1	5
	Q	Q Wang	6	6				Q	Q Wang	3	4
		L Domínguez Lino	6^3	6	1				A-L Friedsam	6	6
		A-L Friedsam	7^7	2	6											A-L Friedsam	0	6	6
		A Tatishvili	4	6	6										13	R Vinci	6	4	4
		I Falconi	6	3	8				I Falconi	2	3
	Q	T Paszek	4	2				13	R Vinci	6	6
	13	R Vinci	6	6

Section 4

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Fourth Round
	10	C Suárez Navarro	7	6
	Q	V Golubic	5	4				10	C Suárez Navarro	6^5	6	6
	Q	M Sakkari	6	1	6			Q	M Sakkari	7^7	2	2
	Q	Y Wang	4	6	3										10	C Suárez Navarro	6	2
		M Niculescu	6	6												E Kulichkova	4	0^r
		T Pereira	2	1					M Niculescu	4	6	4
		E Kulichkova	7	6					E Kulichkova	6	2	6
	22	A Petkovic	5	4																		10	C Suárez Navarro	0	6	6
	28	K Mladenovic	6	6																			D Gavrilova	6	3	2
		D Cibulková	3	4				28	K Mladenovic	6	7^7
	Q	N Gibbs	6	2	6			Q	N Gibbs	1	6^4
		K Koukalová	2	6	1										28	K Mladenovic	4	6	9
		D Gavrilova	7^7	6												D Gavrilova	6	4	11
		L Hradecká	6^3	4					D Gavrilova	6	6
	Q	L Kumkhum	3	1				6	P Kvitová	4	4
	6	P Kvitová	6	6

Bottom half

Section 5

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Fourth Round
	7	A Kerber	6^4	7^8	6
		M Doi	7^7	6^6	3			7	A Kerber	6	6
	WC	S Sanders	4	2					A Dulgheru	2	4
		A Dulgheru	6	6											7	A Kerber	6	6
		M Brengle	6	6												M Brengle	1	3
		C Vandeweghe	3	4					M Brengle	7	4	6
		J Larsson	6	6					J Larsson	5	6	1
	29	I-C Begu	3	2																		7	A Kerber	6	6
	19	J Janković	6	6																			A Beck	4	0
		P Hercog	3	3				19	J Janković	6	6^5	4
		L Siegemund	6	7					L Siegemund	3	7^7	6
		K Bertens	4	5												L Siegemund	0	4
	WC	P Hon	0	3												A Beck	6	6
		A Beck	6	6					A Beck	6	6
		K Siniaková	3	5				11	T Bacsinszky	2	3
	11	T Bacsinszky	6	7

Section 6

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Fourth Round
	14	V Azarenka	6	6
		A Van Uytvanck	0	0				14	V Azarenka	6	6
	WC	S Crawford	2	4					D Kovinić	1	2
		D Kovinić	6	6											14	V Azarenka	6	6
	Q	N Osaka	6	6											Q	N Osaka	1	1
		D Vekić	3	2				Q	N Osaka	6	6
	PR	V Duval	2	3				18	E Svitolina	4	4
	18	E Svitolina	6	6																		14	V Azarenka	6	6
	32	C Garcia	2	4																			B Strýcová	2	4
		B Strýcová	6	6					B Strýcová	7^7	6
		M Barthel	6	5	4			PR	V King	6^5	4
	PR	V King	3	7	6											B Strýcová	6	6
		K Flipkens	5	6	7										3	G Muguruza	3	2
		M Lučić-Baroni	7	2	5				K Flipkens	4	2
		A Kontaveit	0	4				3	G Muguruza	6	6
	3	G Muguruza	6	6

Section 7

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Fourth Round
	8	V Williams	4	2
		J Konta	6	6					J Konta	6	6
		C Witthöft	1	2					S Zheng	2	3
		S Zheng	6	6												J Konta	6	6
		B Mattek-Sands	4	7^7	3											D Allertová	2	2
		D Allertová	6	6^5	6				D Allertová	6	2	6
	PR	P Cetkovská	4	4				30	S Lisicki	3	6	4
	30	S Lisicki	6	6																			J Konta	4	6	8
	21	E Makarova	6	6																		21	E Makarova	6	4	6
	WC	M Inglis	3	0				21	E Makarova	6	6
		T Maria	6	6					T Maria	4	2
		O Govortsova	4	3											21	E Makarova	6	6
		A Mitu	3	4											9	Ka Plíšková	3	2
		J Görges	6	6					J Görges	6^5	1
	WC	K Birrell	4	4				9	Ka Plíšková	7^7	6
	9	Ka Plíšková	6	6

Section 8

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Fourth Round
	15	M Keys	7^7	6
		Z Diyas	6^5	1				15	M Keys	6^4	6	6
		T Pironkova	4	4					Y Shvedova	7^7	3	3
		Y Shvedova	6	6											15	M Keys	4	6	6
	Q	A Sevastova	6	4											20	A Ivanovic	6	4	4
		J Wolfe	0	2^r				Q	A Sevastova	3	3
	WC	T Patterson	2	3				20	A Ivanovic	6	6
	20	A Ivanovic	6	6																		15	M Keys	6	3	3
	31	L Tsurenko	7^7	2	3																	Q	S Zhang	3	6	6
		V Lepchenko	6^5	6	6				V Lepchenko	7^9	6
		L Arruabarrena	6^4	6	6				L Arruabarrena	6^7	4
	Q	M Zanevska	7^7	3	3											V Lepchenko	1	3
		B Jovanovski	1	0											Q	S Zhang	6	6
		A Cornet	6	6					A Cornet	3	3
	Q	S Zhang	6	6				Q	S Zhang	6	6
	2	S Halep	4	3

Flag Icon Key List of National Flags

Nationalities in the field

North America (19)	South America (2)	Europe (84)	Oceania (9)	Asia (14)	Africa (0)
Canada (1)	Brazil (1)	Austria (1)	Australia (9)	China (5)
Puerto Rico (1)	Colombia (1)	Belarus (3)		Japan (4)
United States (17)		Belgium (3)		Kazakhstan (3)
		Bulgaria (1)		Chinese Taipei (1)
		Croatia (3)		Thailand (1)
		Czech Republic (9)
		Denmark (1)
		Estonia (1)
		France (4)
		Germany (10)
		Greece (1)
		Hungary (1)
		Italy (3)
		Latvia (2)
		Montenegro (1)
		Netherlands (1)
		Poland (3)
		Romania (5)
		Russia (8)
		Serbia (4)
		Slovakia (4)
		Slovenia (1)
		Spain (4)
		Sweden (1)
		Switzerland (3)
		Ukraine (4)
		United Kingdom (2)

References

General

• Women drawsheet on ausopen.com

Specific

1. "Kerber saves match point". Retrieved 30 January 2016.
2. "Australian Open: Angelique Kerber stuns Serena Williams to win women's final". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 30 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
3. "Angelique Kerber stuns Serena Williams to clinch Australian Open title". Guardian. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
4. Nguyen, Courtney (19 January 2016). "INSIDER NOTEBOOK: UPSETS AND AZARENKA". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
5. Dickson, Andrew (27 January 2016). "Johanna Konta reaches Australian Open semis for first time". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
6. "Qualifier Zhang Shuai overcomes injured Madison Keys, who ends match in tears". EuroSport. au.eurosport.com. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
7. http://www.itftennis.com/news/231175.aspx