Madison Keys made history on Saturday, becoming the oldest woman to win her first Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open. In a thrilling final, the 29-year-old American took down World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who had been chasing a third straight title in Melbourne. For Keys, this was more than just a win—it was a moment 15 years in the making. And believe it or not, it all started with a white dress!

The American tennis sensation didn’t pick up tennis because of some magical connection to the sport. It wasn’t the thrill of hitting a perfect forehand or watching a match that got her hooked. It was her American idol Venus Williams’ white Reebok dress from Wimbledon 1999.

“I started playing tennis because of Venus’ white dress at Wimbledon, and I wanted a white dress to wear at Wimbledon,” Keys said recently. “I didn’t know what tennis was, and my mum was like, ‘I’m only going to buy you a tennis dress if you play tennis,’” to which the World No. 7 replied, “Great. Cool. Sign me up!”

That four-year-old’s obsession turned into a career. Ten years later, the American tennis star made her WTA debut at 14. She eventually ended up playing Venus Williams, the person who inspired her to pick up the racket. The duo encountered each other 6 times, with Keys leading the head-to-head record 4-2.

Since then, she’s played Wimbledon 11 times, reaching the quarterfinals twice (2015 and 2023). Her aggressive game isn’t tailor-made for grass, but Wimbledon remains special—after all, it’s where her tennis dream began.

Last year’s Wimbledon wasn’t a happy memory for the Australian Open champion. A leg injury during the tournament left her devastated as she was forced to withdraw mid-match. The American tennis player was tied with Jasmine Paulina 5-5 in the third set when she could not play further. She called it “one of my toughest moments” on the court.

But that tough moment became the foundation for an incredible comeback. Fast-forward to 2025, and Keys is the Australian Open champion. Along the way, she took down three of the top ten players—Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Aryna Sabalenka. It’s the kind of story that doesn’t just inspire fans; it also earns the respect of legends. And Venus’s sister tennis icon Serena William’s has acknowledged her great achievement.

Serena Williams calls Madison Keys ‘best in the world’ as she lauds her Australian Open win

Serena Williams didn’t hold back her admiration for Madison Keys’ achievement. The 23-time Grand Slam champion gave Madison Keys a shoutout on Instagram after the Australian Open final.

“We just saw Madison Keys, congrats to her, winning the Australian Open today,” Serena said in her video. “She invested in herself. She invested in her career, invested time into tennis, and into being the best that she can be, and today she proved she is the best in the world by winning the Australian Open.”

Serena and Keys have faced each other three times, with Serena winning each encounter. But rivalries don’t matter when it comes to recognizing greatness.

The 29-year-old’s win bumps her up to World No. 7 in the rankings from being No. 14 in the rankings and with her first Grand Slam title secured, she’s in a prime position to chase even more. It’s a career milestone that’s been 15 years in the making, but if her performance in Melbourne is any sign, she’s far from done.

Madison Keys waited a long time for this moment, and now she’s finally a Grand Slam champion. Could this be the start of an even bigger run for the new World No. 7?