In a rollercoaster final that had fans on the edge of their seats, Madison Keys defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 at the Australian Open to win her maiden Grand Slam trophy! The emotional victory ended Sabalenka's 20-match winning streak at Melbourne Park and marked Keys as the fourth-oldest first-time major champion in professional tennis history.
'Everything happens for a reason,' Keys told the crowd, champagne in hand. The 29-year-old credited her triumph to overcoming self-doubt: 'I finally let go of internal pressure… and played some really good tennis!'
Sabalenka, aiming for a historic three-peat, smashed her racket in frustration after the loss but vowed to bounce back: 'Next time I'll play better.' The Belarusian's powerful serves couldn't counter Keys' 29 winners across three thrilling sets.
This Cinderella story makes Keys the first player since Serena Williams (2003) to beat both the world No. 1 and No. 2 en route to an Australian Open title. Meanwhile, Finnish-British duo Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten staged their own comeback to claim the men's doubles crown.
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The emotional victory ended Sabalenka's 20-match winning streak at Melbourne Park and marked Keys as the fourth-oldest first-time major champion in professional tennis history.
'Everything happens for a reason,' Keys told the crowd, champagne in hand. The 29-year-old credited her triumph to overcoming self-doubt: 'I finally let go of internal pressure… and played some really good tennis!'
This Cinderella story makes Keys the first player since Serena Williams (2003) to beat both the world No. 1 and No. 2 en route to an Australian Open title. Meanwhile, Finnish-British duo Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten staged their own comeback to claim the men's doubles crown.
