Australian Open 2016 prize money: Angelique Kerber pockets biggest paycheque of her career with shock victory over Serena Williams
German Angelique Kerber staged a huge upset in the final of the Australian Open on Saturday by beating world No1 Serena Williams to secure her first grand slam title and earn the biggest pay day of her career to date.
In the first grand slam final of her career, 28-year-old Kerber beat the six-time Australian Open champion 6-4 3-6 6-4 to pocket a cash prize of AUS$3.4m (£1.7m).
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The bumper paycheque – the largest singles prize in Australian Open history – gives Kerber's career earnings a significant bump from $9.3m to $11.7m.
Williams, who remains stuck behind Stefi Graf's record of 22 grand slam titles on 21, takes home a runners-up prize of AUS$1.7m (£850,000).
The imperious American had only lost four of 25 grand slam finals before today, yet Kerber produced one of the performances of her life and secured the championship in Melbourne by breaking serve.