Kerber playing more aggressively than ever against top players

MELBOURNE—Angelique Kerber said that for the first time, she’s being very aggressive against top players.

The seventh-seeded Kerber upended former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday to reach the semifinals at the Australia Open. It was the first time she had beaten Azarenka in seven meetings.

The German lost to Azarenka in the second round of the 2015 U.S. Open, and was smoked, 6-3, 6-1, by Azarenka in the Brisbane final two-and-a-half weeks ago.

This time around, the 28-year-old decided that she was not going to back off.

She won four tournaments in 2015, but didn’t reach the second week at any majors.

“It's changed,” Kerber said. “It was not always like this. In the past I had a lot of matches where I was hoping, just trying to [move], catching every ball. But against top players, like also Vika, you must [go] for it. I think I had a lot of experience from the last few years that I must [go] for it. Of course, it's not so easy to [do] this. I can say it here and it's easy, but to [do] this, it's not so easy.

"I was trying to learn it and to do it in every match. The first few rounds I was not going for every situation or for every chance I had. I was match-point down in the first round. I think I played every match better and better. Against Vika I was going for it, so I was able to win the match.”

Kerber will face Johanna Konta in the semis on Thursday.