World No. 2 Kerber arrives home from Melbourne

Just hours after Kerber arrived at Frankfurt Airport on Monday, the Women's Tennis Association published its latest rankings, making the German the world No. 2 based on her having beaten Serena Williams, the top women's player, to win the Australian Open.

"It is really something special to arrive here as a Grand Slam winner," the 28-year-old Kerber told reporters shortly after her arrival. Commenting on her promotion to the No. 2 ranking, she said that it "feels real good to have just one player above me."

By beating Williams on Saturday, Kerber became the first German woman to win a Grand Slam tournament since Steffi Graf won the French Open in 1999, and the first to win the Australian Open since Graf did it in 1994.

From Frankfurt, Kerber caught a connecting flight to the Polish city of Posen, from which she was to drive to the town of Puszczykowo, where she lives near to her grandparents.

"We'll celebrate there with some sparkling wine. I am really looking forward to getting home," she said. "My family have always stood by me and given me strength, even in moments when I didn't believe in myself."

Kerber won't have much time to catch up with her family, because on Tuesday she is to join the German team who are to take on Switzerland in the first found of the Fed Cup on the weekend.

pfd/sb (SID, dpa)