Madison Keys shocks Aryna Sabalenka to win Australian Open title

By Eleanor Crooks, PA Tennis Correspondent, Melbourne

Madison Keys dethroned Aryna Sabalenka to claim a long-awaited first grand slam title at the Australian Open.

World number one Sabalenka was bidding to become the first woman since Martina Hingis in the late 1990s to win three straight titles at Melbourne Park.

But American Keys, who seemed destined never to achieve the slam success that had been predicted when she turned professional aged only 14, followed up her upset of second seed Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals by claiming a 6-3 2-6 7-5 victory.

In the Open era, only Flavia Pennetta, Ann Jones and Francesca Schiavone have won maiden grand slam titles later into their career than 29-year-old Keys, who covered her face with her hands in delight and disbelief after sending a final forehand win fizzing past Sabalenka.

Keys, who is the oldest woman to make her slam breakthrough at Melbourne Park, rushed over to her courtside coaching pod, where she sobbed in the arms of husband Bjorn Fratangelo, who has played a crucial role in her breakthrough having agreed to become her coach last year.

In her only previous grand slam final at the US Open eight years ago, Keys had been paralysed by nerves and won only three games against good friend Sloane Stephens.

After stepping up to receive the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, an emotional Keys “There’s no way I’m getting through this without tears.

“I made my very first grand slam semi-final here so to have won my first grand slam in the same place means the absolute world to me.

“I have wanted this for so long. I have been in one other grand slam final, it didn’t go my way and I didn’t know if I was ever going to be able to get back to this position.

“My team believed in me every step of the way so thank you so much. They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Last year was so tough with some bad injuries. To be here and to be able to do it with my husband, who’s dazed and confused over there. I love you all so much.”

Keys had revealed ahead of this match that she had been trying to learn from Sabalenka not to hold back in the big moments, and she was true to her word.

Sabalenka is not used to facing players with a similar arsenal of power shots and Keys was dealing out blows that the watching Jackie Chan would have been proud of, particularly off her serve and backhand.

By contrast, the top seed was struggling to find her range and relax into the occasion, casting frequent glances towards her box and dropping her racket to the court in frustration.

Two double faults in the opening game set the tone, and another break of serve in the fifth helped Keys into a 5-1 lead.

The American had a set point in a long seventh game but Sabalenka was dug out of trouble by her serve and, although Keys went on to take the set, it was a turning point of sorts.

Keys tightened up on serve in the game that followed, handing Sabalenka a break back, but a huge double fault from the Belarusian in the next game gave her a second set point, and this time the 19th seed made no mistake, sending a backhand winner fizzing down the line.

Sabalenka has handled everything thrown at her in Melbourne over the last three years, though, and – after heading off court for a bathroom break – she set about levelling the contest.

Keys’ first-serve percentage dropped and her belief seemed to waver, while the key shot for Sabalenka was not her thumping ground strokes or serve but the short angled forehand slice, which repeatedly left her opponent stranded.

Keys had brilliantly stood firm against Swiatek in the deciding set of their semi-final before clinching a stunning win, and she refused to buckle to Sabalenka’s pressure here.

The statistics were barely able to separate the two women and, as the tension ratcheted up, so did the quality and pace.

With Sabalenka serving at 5-6 to force a deciding tie-break, Keys sensed her time was now.

Seizing the moment as she had planned, she fizzed returns back at her opponent to bring up two match points, taking the first in brilliant fashion while Sabalenka was left smashing her racket into the floor.

But the world number one was gracious after collecting her runner-up trophy.

“Madison, wow what a tournament,” she said. “You’ve been fighting really hard to get this trophy, you played incredible tennis. Enjoy the celebration, enjoy the really fun part.”

Turning to her team, the 26-year-old joked: “As always, that’s your fault guys. I don’t want to see you for the next week. I really hate you. Thank you so much for everything you’re doing for me blah blah blah. No, I think we did our best, just Madison was doing incredible.”