Keys Shocks Sabalenka in Epic Battle to Win Australian Open 

Madison Keys stuns Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling final to claim the Australian Open title, showcasing resilience and skill in a memorable match.

Madison Keys, considered an underdog, defeated Aryna Sabalenka with scores of 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the Australian Open final on Saturday. This victory marked her first Grand Slam title at the age of 29.

The American shattered world number one Sabalenka’s aspiration of being the first woman in 26 years to claim a third consecutive Melbourne Park singles title.

Keys shouted with joy and wiped away tears after securing the title, having endured a fierce comeback from the two-time defending champion from Belarus.

Sabalenka, having secured the titles in both 2023 and 2024, covered her face with a towel after her impressive 20-match winning streak at Melbourne Park came to an end.

For 19th-seeded Keys, it marked the culmination of a 15-year journey from being a teenage prodigy to becoming a major winner.

“This is something I’ve wanted for such a long time. I’ve reached one other Grand Slam final before, and it didn’t turn out in my favor,” said an emotional Keys, whose coach and husband is Bjorn Fratangelo.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d ever have the chance to compete for a trophy again.”

After securing her first WTA Tour victory at just 14, the American was predicted to become a future world number one.

Ten years ago, as a 19-year-old, she reached her first major semi-final at Melbourne Park. Now, a decade later, she can finally call herself a Grand Slam champion.

“I reached my first Grand Slam semi-final here in Melbourne,” said Keys, who was the runner-up at the US Open in 2017.

Winning my first Grand Slam at this location means absolutely everything to me.

“My team supported me every step of the way, so I’m extremely thankful,” added Keys, who will now match her career-high world ranking of seventh achieved nine years ago.

“They had faith in me even when I doubted myself, supporting me at every turn. Last year was incredibly challenging due to severe injuries, and I questioned whether I’d be able to continue.”

Another break came after a brilliant cross-court pass by Sabalenka, allowing her to level the match after an hour and 20 minutes on court.

By now, the 26-year-old Sabalenka was timing her shots much more effectively, whereas a younger Keys might have faltered under such pressure.

However, this more mature version of Keys, who fought hard to overcome Iga Swiatek in a 10-point final-set tiebreak during the semi-finals, possesses remarkable resilience.

With the score at 5-6, as Sabalenka served to push the match into another final-set tiebreaker, Keys earned two match points.

She maintained her composure and clinched the long-awaited title on her second attempt, securing victory with her 29th winner after a match lasting 2 hours and 2 minutes.