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Madison Keys dethrones Aryna Sabalenka to land first Grand Slam crown

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Madison Keys of the U.S. celebrates winning the women's singles title at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, January 25, 2025. /VCG
Madison Keys of the U.S. celebrates winning the women's singles title at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, January 25, 2025. /VCG

Madison Keys of the U.S. celebrates winning the women's singles title at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, January 25, 2025. /VCG

An inspired Madison Keys ripped up the script with a bold and brilliant performance to end Aryna Sabalenka's Australian Open reign and win her maiden Grand Slam trophy on Saturday.

Keys' 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 victory stopped Belarusian Sabalenka's bid to become the first woman to claim three straight Melbourne Park titles since Swiss Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999 and ended her 20-match winning streak on Rod Laver Arena.

Victory made the 29-year-old the fourth-oldest first-time Grand Slam winner in the professional era, behind only Flavia Pennetta, Ann Jones and Francesca Schiavone.

"Everything happens for a reason," Keys said with champagne in her hand and the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup beside her. "I had to go through some tough things. It forced me to look at myself in the mirror and try to work on the internal pressure that I was putting on myself ... I got to the point where I was proud of myself and my career with or without a Grand Slam.”

"I didn't need it to feel like I had a good career or that I deserved to be talked about as a great tennis player,” she added. "Finally letting go of that internal talk I had gave me the ability to actually go out and play some really good tennis, to actually win a Grand Slam."

Sabalenka made a couple of untimely double faults to drop serve in the opening game and looked slightly off color in the early exchanges as Keys heaped pressure on the top seed with a dipping crosscourt winner en route to a double break.

The 19th seed rode her luck after a net cord winner and went ahead 5-1 in 20 minutes, before conceding a break with a wayward backhand, but Sabalenka gifted Keys a set point with her fourth double fault.

Hitting harder than her opponent on both flanks, Keys blasted the 11th of her 29 winners with a backhand down the line to take the set, but Sabalenka began to mix up her game in the next set and sliced her way through to level the match.

Both players relied on their powerful serves and shot-making to remain level until 5-5 in the decider but there was one final momentum shift as Keys produced blistering winners to claim the next two games and the biggest triumph of her career.

She was overcome by emotion and shed tears with her team that included husband and coach Bjorn Fratangelo in the stands, while Sabalenka smashed her racket and then covered her face with a towel before sobbing.

"There definitely was a bit of frustration because I was so close to achieving something crazy," Sabalenka said. "I was just trying to let it go and be a good person, be respectful. It's okay. I know that after tough losses, there are good wins. I'll keep working and make sure that next time, if I'm in this situation, I'll play better."

Keys is the first player to claim the trophy by defeating the world number one and two at a major since Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova at the 2009 French Open and the first at Melbourne Park since compatriot Serena Williams 20 years ago.

Finland's Harri Heliovaara and Briton Henry Patten fought back from a set down to win the men's doubles title, defeating Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 6-7(16), 7-6(5), 6-3.

Source(s): Reuters
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