Madison Keys says she has wanted to win a Grand Slam for a long time which she finally achieved when she defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the Australian Open women’s singles final on Saturday, Afrosport reports.
The 29-year-old American made a brilliant start to the final in Melbourne by breaking in two of her opponent’s first three service games.
Sabalenka however jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set following two breaks of her own, but the Belarusian and two-time consecutive Australian Open champion was was unable to match that momentum in the deciding set, dropping serve in the 12th game and suffering a first defeat in her last 21 matches at Melbourne Park.
Madison Keys previously reached the US Open final in 2017 but lost to compatriot Sloane Stephens.
“I’ve wanted this for so long, and I have been in one other Grand Slam final. It did not go my way and I didn’t know if I was ever going to be able to get back to this position to try to win a trophy again. And my team believed in me every step of the way, so thank you so much,”she said after her triumph.
Patience is key 🙌
Welcome to the Grand Slam club, @Madison_Keys! #AusOpen #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/JEOgHMn1lS
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2025
Sabalenka went on to congratulate Keys and looks forward to competing against her in the next edition.
“It’s okay. I hope I’ll see you next year! First of all, I mean Madison, wow. What a tournament. I mean you’ve been fighting really, really hard to get this trophy,” she said
“You played unbelievable tennis. You crashed this, tonight. Congrats [to] you and your team. Really well deserved. And, enjoy the celebration, enjoy the really fun part.”
Madison Keys is the first American to win the Australian Open since Serena Williams did eight years ago.
She is also the second oldest women’s singles player in the open era to win her first title in Melbourne after China’s Na Li (at 31 years).
