In a stunning showdown at the Australian Open, Madison Keys defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka to claim her first Grand Slam title on Saturday. The 29-year-old American showcased a bold and brilliant performance, winning 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, and ending Sabalenka’s 20-match winning streak on Rod Laver Arena.
Keys’s victory thwarted Sabalenka’s attempt to become the first woman since Martina Hingis to secure three consecutive Australian Open titles. With this win, Keys becomes the fourth-oldest first-time Grand Slam winner in the Open era.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Keys said, holding the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. “I had to go through some tough things. It forced me to look at myself and work on the internal pressure I was putting on myself. I got to the point where I was proud of myself and my career, with or without a Grand Slam.”
She added, “Finally letting go of that internal talk gave me the ability to play some really good tennis and actually win a Grand Slam.”
The match began with Keys breaking Sabalenka’s serve in the opening game, capitalizing on her opponent’s double faults. Keys dominated early, taking a commanding 5-1 lead in just 20 minutes. Although Sabalenka fought back to level the match in the second set, Keys remained resilient.
In the decisive third set, both players held their serves until 5-5. Keys then unleashed a series of blistering winners to seize the final two games, sealing the biggest triumph of her career. Overcome with emotion, she shared tears of joy with her team, including her husband and coach, Bjorn Fratangelo.
Sabalenka, visibly frustrated, said, “There was definitely a bit of frustration because I was so close to achieving something crazy. I’m going to keep working and make sure that next time, if I’m in this situation, I’ll play better.”
Keys’s achievement is historic; she is the first player to defeat both the world number one and two at a major since 2009 and the first to do so at the Australian Open since Serena Williams 20 years ago.
In the men’s doubles final, Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Britain’s Henry Patten overcame Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori with a 6-7(16), 7-6(5), 6-3 victory to claim the title.
