Angelique Kerber arrives home

Angelique Kerber spoke to reporters at a press conference shortly after she landed at Munich international airport on Tuesday morning local time.

She said she was now looking forward to taking two weeks off after being on an eight-week-long road trip that included her winning a silver medal at the Rio Olympics and culminated in her victory at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.

"I am looking forward to sleeping in, to eating well, seeing some friends and family and putting the tennis racquet down in the corner," said the 28-year-old Kerber, who plans to spend much of the break at her base Puszczykowo, Poland, where her grandparents live.

Kerber, who defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to add the US Open to her first Grand Slam title, this year's Australian Open, said she was proud of both of those achievements, but particularly of unseating Serena Williams as the world No. 1.

"I no longer have to prove anything to anybody. Now I'm at the top," said the left hander, who plans to return to the court at the end of the month in Wuhan, China

She said she would spend part of her time out responding to the many goodwill messages she has received but hasn't had time to read.

"I was afraid to pick up my mobile phone," she said.

She also said that he planned to use some of her prize money to treat herself to a special gift.

"I'm leaning towards some kind of jewelry," she said. "But exactly what it will be I do not know yet."

pfd/ftm (Reuters, dpa, SID)