See No. 6 in the count down of the winners and losers, the best or worst or most memorable stories from the 2016 US Open.

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There's a lot to take away from Pliskova's run to the US Open final. For one, her title-winning performance in Cincinnati surely set the stage for her confident march to the championship match in New York. Next, it helped Kerber to have gotten a look at Pliskova's serve and overall game in Cincy fortheir Queens showdown. And last, it was remarkable that Pliskova noted—after taking out Serena Williams in straight sets—that it was more difficult to defeat Venus Williams.

Call it bulletin-board material for both Williamses when they next encounter Pliskova on court.

Despite her everything-but-the-finish romp in Flushing, she was heralded by her countrywoman, two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova:

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Even so, in the (tweaked) words of, well, Beyoncé: "Ashes to ashes, dust to sideczechs." As it turned out, Kerber had that final on lock.

Check out No. 4.