Madison Keys claimed her first Grand Slam title with a thrilling 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 victory over two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final on Saturday. The 29-year-old American’s remarkable performance included stellar serving and a tense final set that ended Sabalenka’s quest for a third consecutive Australian Open crown.

Madison Keys defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to claim her first Grand Slam title in a thrilling Australian Open final at Melbourne Park on Saturday. The 29-year-old American secured victory over the two-time defending champion in a fast-paced match that showcased her exceptional serving in the opening set and a gripping final set where both players raised their level under immense pressure.

This win not only marks Keys’ first major title but also ends Sabalenka’s bid for a third consecutive Australian Open victory.

How Keys Overcame Sabalenka’s Challenges

Sabalenka’s serve had been under scrutiny throughout the tournament, with a shaky performance leading up to the final. She had been broken 16 times across six matches, including four consecutive breaks against Denmark’s Clara Tauson in the earlier rounds. While Sabalenka managed to escape trouble in earlier matches, Keys proved to be a different challenge.

The first point of the match saw Sabalenka hit a double fault, and a second followed shortly, giving Keys an early break. Sabalenka continued to struggle with her serve throughout the first set, hitting a total of four double faults and winning only 43 percent of her first-serve points. By contrast, Keys capitalized on the opportunity with stellar returning, showing both speed and precision that rattled her opponent.

Keys’ first serve was also impressive in the first set, landing 86 percent of her first serves. Even when she missed, she still managed to win 67 percent of her second-serve points, proving to be a reliable force on her own service games.

A Turnaround for Madison Keys in the Second Set of Australian Open

The second set saw a marked shift in momentum. Keys’ second-serve points won percentage dropped significantly, from 67 percent in the first set to just 47 percent in the second. Sabalenka found success on the return, breaking Keys twice in the first three return games and creating further break point opportunities. Meanwhile, Sabalenka regained her rhythm on serve, increasing her first-serve percentage to 83 percent, winning 68 percent of those points, and forcing a decisive third set.

With both players playing tight, error-free tennis in the decider, no break points occurred until the final game of the match. In a nail-biting conclusion, Keys held firm and secured the match on her second match point to claim her long-awaited first Grand Slam title.

Emotional Victory for Madison Keys in Australian Open Final

After her victory, an emotional Keys struggled to hold back tears. “I’m absolutely going to cry,” she admitted, overwhelmed with joy. “I have wanted this for so long… And I didn’t know if I was ever going to get back to this position.” She expressed her gratitude to those who had helped her along the way, saying, “I am so appreciative to every single person who helped me to believe in myself.”

Sabalenka, gracious in defeat, told Keys to enjoy the “fun part” of winning, jokingly adding to her team that the loss was “all their fault.” She expressed her determination for the future, stating, “Next time I play Madison, I will bring better tennis,” and hinted at a return next year, saying she hoped to “see the Daphne Akhurst trophy next year.”

In her post-match press conference, Sabalenka reflected on the third-set battle: “In the third set, the real tennis match started.” She noted the emotional toll of the match, explaining that it felt like things weren’t going her way despite her efforts. “I was so close to achieving something crazy, and when you’re out there, you’re fighting but it seems like everything is going not the way you want it to go… I needed to throw these negative emotions at the end. I was just trying to let it go.”

She also praised Keys’ powerful game, commenting, “The depths of the balls were crazy.”

Who Is Madison Keys?

Madison Keys’ victory in Melbourne is the pinnacle of a career that has been building toward this moment. Born in 1995 in Rock Island, Illinois, to Rick and Christine Keys, Madison grew up in a sporting family. Her father was a college basketball player, while her mother is a lawyer. Keys began playing tennis at age four and made her professional debut in 2009 at just 14 years old. By 2013, she was ranked in the top 100, and her first WTA title came at the 2014 Eastbourne International.

Keys reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2015 and 2022 and made her first Grand Slam final appearance in 2017, at the US Open, where she lost to Sloane Stephens. Her career highlights include a victory at the 2019 Cincinnati Open, where she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova, and a win at the 2025 Adelaide International, securing her ninth WTA Tour singles title.

Looking Ahead

With this historic win, Keys will match her career-highest ranking of No. 7 when the new WTA rankings are released on Monday. At 29, she becomes the second-oldest woman to win her first Australian Open singles title in the Open Era, behind only China’s Li Na, who triumphed in 2014 at the age of 31.

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