Angelique Kerber has beaten world number one Serena Williams in three sets to win her maiden Grand Slam at the Australian Open.

Top seed Williams came into the match as heavy favourite and had also won the last four meetings between the two without dropping a set, but the American made 20 unforced errors in a wobbly opening set.

Williams started confidently with a love-hold in the first game, but Kerber broke at the next time of asking before opening up a 3-1 lead.

The next two games went Williams's way as the American broke back, but Kerber re-established the advantage soon after and this time the German did not give it up as she served out the opener to love 6-4.

Williams, who was chasing a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam singles title, was much more like her usual self in the second set and two Kerber double faults in the fourth game helped the 34-year-old break.

It was a lead she did not surrender, serving it out with relative ease 6-3 to send the match to a third set.

Kerber, the world number six, struck the first blow in the decider, breaking Williams to love, but Williams hit straight back to level the set at 2-2.

The German then won three games in a row to move within a game of the match before failing to serve the title out on her own serve.

However, Kerber earned one match point on the Williams serve at 5-4 and took it thanks to a volley that dropped long by the American.

Kerber triumphs on her first Slam final appearance and becomes the first German since Steffi Graf, whose record Williams was trying to equal, to win in Melbourne.