Madison Keys claimed her first Grand Slam trophy after defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final. The American star waited seven years to return to a Grand Slam final after losing to Sloane Stephens in 2017—a loss that is now a distant memory.
Keys told reporters after defeating the world number one:
“I have wanted this for so long, and I have been in one other Grand Slam final. It did not go my way, and I didn’t know if I was ever going to be able to get back to this position to try to win a trophy again.”
She also reflected on how letting go of the pressure of winning helped her focus on her game: “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 I was putting on myself. I finally got to the point where I was proud of myself and my career, with or without a Grand Slam. I feel like letting go of that kind of internal talk gave me the ability to go out and play some really good tennis.”
Sabalenka displayed good sportsmanship after the match, hugging Keys and congratulating her on the victory. However, she couldn’t hide her disappointment, breaking her racket and throwing it against a chair. The Belarusian star later sat with a towel over her head before leaving the court.
Speaking to reporters after the loss, Sabalenka admitted her frustration: “I think when you get to the point of finals, it is winning the trophy or nothing. Nobody remembers the finalist, you know? Nobody puts, like, next to the winner, ‘finalist’ name.”
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