American tennis star Madison Keys disturbed No. 1-ranked ARYNA Sabalenka to win the Australian Open on Saturday.
Keys, 29, won 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the closely disputed match to win his first Grand Slam tournament ever.
The keys ended with only one more point won than Sabalenka in general and won 92 points compared to Sabalenka’s 91.
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Madison Keys, Center, in the United States responds as she receives Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup from Evonne Goolagong Cawley after defeating Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus in the woman’s single final at the Australian Open Tennis Championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, January 25, , on January 25, January 25. 2025. (AP Photo/ng he guan)
Sabalenka tried to win his third consecutive Australian Open, something last achieved – by Martina Hingis – from 1997 to 1999.
This was the second time in Keys’ career that she had a chance for a bigger title, with her last being a 6-3, 6-0 loss to national woman Sloane Stephens in 2017 US Open.
Keys had high expectations of herself in her tennis career, but began to accept the fact that she may never win a Grand Slam title.
“From a beautiful young age, I felt like I never won a grand slam, then I wouldn’t have lived up to what people thought I should have been. It was a pretty heavy burden to carry around,” Keys said.
Novak djokovic booed after that
Madison Keys of the United States responds to her woman’s singles last match against Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus at the Australian open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, January 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
“So I finally got to the point where I was proud of myself and proud of my career, with or without a grand slam. I finally got to the point where I was in order if it didn’t happen. I didn’t Need to feel that I had a good career or that I deserved to be talked about as a great tennis player.
“I want to finally let go of the kind of internal speech that I had just given me the ability to actually go out and play some really good tennis to actually win a grand slam.”
Not only did Keys disturbed No. 1 ranked Sabalenka, but she also took down No. 2 ranked Iga świąk in the semi -finals on the way to her Australian open title victory.
Keys was the first woman since Serena Williams in 2005, which defeated both WTA’s two top players at Melbourne Park. She said that beating Swatek gave her the confidence she could win against Sabalenka.
Madison Keys of the US speaks during a press conference after defeating Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus in the women’s single final at the Australian Open Tennis Championship to win Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, January 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
“Winning that match the other night against Iga was really a kind of big obstacle,” Keys said. “I always thought I could do it, but to do it that way – I really thought with myself after the match that I can definitely win Saturday.”
This was KEY’s 46. Slam performance, the third most before winning a women’s title, being only Flavia Pennettas 49 and Marion Bartoli’s 47 appearances before winning.
“I didn’t always think I could return to this point. But to be able to do it and win, it means the world to me.”
