American Madison Keys wins Australian Open championship

American Madison Keys wins Australian Open championship

American Madison Keys wins Australian Open championship

Madison Keys of the United States defeated Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to claim her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Saturday. At 29, Keys became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2005 to beat both of the WTA's top two players at Melbourne Park, having previously ousted No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals, saving a match point along the way.

Ranked 14th and seeded 19th, this was Keys' second major final after finishing as the runner-up at the 2017 US Open. Her victory denied Sabalenka a third consecutive Australian Open title and a fourth Grand Slam trophy overall.

After the match, an emotional Keys celebrated with her husband, Bjorn Fratangelo, who has been her coach since 2023. Sabalenka, visibly frustrated, threw her racket and covered her head with a towel.

Keys, the oldest woman to win her first major at age 29 since Flavia Pennetta in 2015, made her 46th Grand Slam appearance, the third-most before winning a major in the Open era.

In the final, Keys dominated early, breaking Sabalenka three times in the first set as the Belarusian struggled with four double faults and 13 unforced errors. Keys, who switched rackets before the season to protect her shoulder, hit with precision and power, accumulating an 11-4 winner advantage in the first set.

Despite struggling emotionally, Sabalenka came back strong in the second set, improving her serving and increasing her winner count to 13. After a trip to the locker room, she gained momentum, breaking Keys twice for a 4-1 lead. However, Keys held firm in the final set, with neither player earning a break point until the last game, when Keys secured her victory with a forehand winner.