What's next for Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber?

Published 0957 GMT (1757 HKT) February 17, 2016

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Angelique Kerber opened her grand slam account by beating Serena Williams in the 2016 Australian Open final. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images

Williams finishing runner-up at a top tournament is rare. The 21-time grand slam singles winner had won her last eight major finals, which shows just how special Kerber's achievement was. PETER PARKS/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Kerber was soon being congratulated by her fellow players, past and present, on social media. Handout/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley led a toast to Kerber at her post-final press conference. PETER PARKS/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Had she won the title, Williams would have tied Kerber's idol Steffi Graf on 22 majors, which is the most in the post-1968 Open Era. PAUL CROCK/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

A day after her win, Kerber followed through on a bet and took a plunge in the Yarra River, close to the grounds at Melbourne Park. Handout/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images

And there was a more formal setting as the 28-year-old posed for more photos. Scott Barbour/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images

Kerber became the first German to win a grand slam title since Graf -- pictured left with husband Andre Agassi -- in 1999. Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

But it almost never was for Kerber. In the first round at the Australian Open, she had to save a match point against fellow lefty Misaki Doi. PAUL CROCK/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Did Kerber have time to soak up her Melbourne success, maybe take a few weeks off? Nope. She was back playing a week later in the Fed Cup for Germany. However, her team lost 3-2 to Switzerland in Leipzig. Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images