As it happened: Angelique Kerber beats Karolina Pliskova to win U.S. Open final

Kerber beat Pliskova in three very competitive sets.

NEW YORK – Angelique Kerber bested Karolina Pliskova in three sets on Saturday to win the 2016 U.S. Open title. 

Kerber, the No. 2 seed, took the opening set 6–3, but No. 10–seeded Pliskova rebounded by winning the second set 6–4. In the decider, Pliskova went up an early break but Kerber rallied to win the set 6–4. 

Kerber's victory marks her second Grand Slam title of the year and her career after she won the Australian Open in January. 

Kerber, who will supplant Serena Williams as the World No. 1 on Monday, is coming off a win over Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals and reached the final without dropping a set. Pliskova was riding a 12-match win streak, dating back to the Western & Southern Open in early August, heading into the match and stunned top-seeded Serena Williams on her way to her first Grand Slam final. Saturday's match was a rematch of the Western & Southern Open final last month, which saw Kerber lose to the 24-year-old Czech 6-3, 6-1. 

See SI.com's live updates and analysis of Kerber's victory below.