She finally did it.
Madison Keys spent a decade being the "next big thing" in American tennis. We all saw the raw power. We heard the commentators talk about that heavy forehand. But for years, the narrative was always about the near misses—the 2017 U.S. Open final, the heartbreaking semifinals, the injuries. Then, in an absolute pressure cooker of a match at Rod Laver Arena, Madison Keys beats Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open, and suddenly, the "what if" became "what is."
Honestly, it felt like 2025 was the year the script finally flipped. If you’re a tennis fan, you know Sabalenka was the heavy favorite. She was the world No. 1. She was the two-time defending champion in Melbourne. She was, for all intents and purposes, the final boss of hard-court tennis. But Keys, seeded 19th and coming off a string of "ugly" three-set matches, decided she wasn't going anywhere.
How Madison Keys beats Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open
The match itself was a slugfest. Let’s be real: when these two play, the ball basically screams. There’s no finesse, no "crafty" slices—just two of the hardest hitters in the history of the sport trying to blast the felt off the ball.
Keys took the first set 6-3, looking weirdly calm. But you can't keep a player like Sabalenka down for long. The Belarusian roared back, taking the second 6-2 as Keys started to look like the nerves might be creeping in again. We’ve seen this movie before, right? The American starts strong, the veteran champion adjusts, and the dream fades.
Except this time, the third set was a masterpiece.
No break points for eleven straight games. Neither player blinked. It was 7-5 in the third, and the way Keys closed it out—a massive inside-out forehand on her second championship point—was the kind of shot you see in your dreams. She didn't just win; she took it. At 29 years old, she became the oldest first-time women's champion in Melbourne.
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The grit behind the trophy
People talk about the "Keys power," but this win was actually about her defense. It’s kinda funny—the woman who built her career on offense won her first Slam by refusing to miss. She was scrambling. She was digging out low balls that Sabalenka thought were winners.
- The Path to the Title: She didn't have an easy draw. Far from it.
- The Giants She Toppled: She beat Elena Rybakina. She beat Iga Swiatek in a semifinal where she actually saved a match point.
- The Final Boss: Then she had to face the world No. 1.
By the time she reached the final, Keys had played five three-set matches. Most players would be physically cooked. But Madison looked like she was finally comfortable being uncomfortable.
Why this win changed everything
Before this victory, the gap between Keys’ first Grand Slam final (2017) and this one was nearly eight years. That’s a record. It’s a testament to sticking with it when everyone else has moved on to the next teenage prodigy.
Sabalenka was gracious in defeat, but she admitted it stung. She was trying to be the first woman since Martina Hingis to win three Aussie Opens in a row. Instead, she had to watch her friend and rival lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
The rankings reflected the shift immediately. Keys vaulted back into the Top 10, eventually hitting world No. 6. But more than the points, it was the validation. You could see it in her face during the trophy ceremony—the relief was just as big as the joy. She had been in 46 Grand Slams before she finally got her hands on the big one. That's a lot of flights, a lot of hotel rooms, and a lot of questions from reporters asking why she hadn't won one yet.
What's next for the defending champion?
Now, as we head deeper into the 2026 season, the target is on her back. Returning to Melbourne as the defending champion is a different kind of stress. You aren't the underdog anymore. You’re the one everyone wants to take down.
Keys has been open about this. She’s mentioned that she’s trying to "soak in the cool parts," like seeing her photo in the player tunnel alongside legends like Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport. It's a "pinch-me" moment that hasn't quite worn off. Even with a recent loss in the Brisbane and Adelaide tune-ups to rising stars like Victoria Mboko, the confidence of a Major winner is hard to shake.
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If you’re looking to follow her progress or improve your own game based on her "late-career" breakthrough, here are a few things to watch:
- Embrace the grind: Keys won by surviving three-setters, not by being perfect. Sometimes winning "ugly" is the only way to the top.
- Fitness matters: Her ability to stay healthy in her late 20s has been the biggest factor in her consistency.
- Mental Reset: Notice how she handles losses now. She doesn't let a bad week in Adelaide ruin her outlook for a Slam.
The 2026 Australian Open is already underway, and while Sabalenka is looking for revenge, Madison Keys has already proven that her name belongs among the greats. Whether she repeats or not, that 2025 run remains one of the most inspiring "long-game" victories in modern tennis.
Watch the early-round highlights of the 2026 Australian Open to see if Keys is maintaining that defensive depth she used to neutralize Sabalenka. Keep an eye on her service percentage—when that first serve is landing at over 70%, she's nearly impossible to break. Follow the live brackets on the official WTA site to track her potential path to a second consecutive final.