Keys wins first grand slam the hard way, Sabalenka smashes racquet in frustration

American Madison Keys charged to her maiden grand slam title by overcoming two-time Australian Open defending champion and world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka with a stunning three-set victory on Saturday night.

To be the best of this Australian Open, she had to beat the best, and it was a superbly composed performance from the 29-year-old veteran and one-time tennis prodigy playing in her second major final. By contrast, Sabalenka was gutted after the final point – smashing her racquet on the court surface in disgust. She left Rod Laver Arena quickly, walking up the tunnel as the disappointment of a missed opportunity in a major final shone through.

As Keys put her hands to her head to celebrate her moment – winning 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in a classic contest – the tears flowed freely for a player who has had to wait to get to this point.

Keys overcame a bold revival from Sabalenka in the second set and dug deep in the final set to break her grand slam duck. A bitterly disappointed Sabalenka quickly returned to the arena for the trophy presentation and was gracious in her speech.

“First of all, Madison, what a tournament. You have been fighting really hard to get this trophy,” Sabalenka said.

“I really feel like home when I’m here, and I’ll come back stronger and do my best next year.”

Sabalenka later explained how she left the court to compose herself to ensure she was not “disrespectful”.

“There definitely was a bit of frustration because I was so close to achieve something crazy. When you’re out there, you’re fighting, but it seems like everything going not the way you really want to go,” she said.

“I just needed to throw those negative emotions at the end just so I could give a speech, not stand there being disrespectful. I was just trying to let it go and be a good person, be respectful.

“I’m the one who knows that after tough losses, there is good wins. So I’ll keep working and make sure that next time, if I’ll be in this situation, I’ll play definitely better.”

Keys, who edged past Iga Swiatek in a memorable three-setter in the semi-finals on Thursday night, became the first player to defeat the top two players in the world at a grand slam event since Svetlana Kuznetsova managed it at Roland-Garros nearly 16 years ago. Keys also matched the achievement of the great American Serena Williams, who did the same thing in her heyday in 2005.

“I have wanted this for so long, and I have been in one other grand slam final, and it did not go my way and I didn’t know if I was ever going to get back to this position to try to win a trophy again,” Keys said.

THE CHARGE TO THE TITLE

• Round 1: d. Ann Li (#84) 6-4, 7-5
• Round 2: d. Elena-Gabriela Ruse (#125) 7-6, 2-6, 7-5
• Round 3: d. Danielle Collins (#11) 6-4, 6-4
• Round 4: d. Elena Rybakina (#7) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
• Quarter-final: d. Elina Svitolina (#27) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
• Semi-final: d. Iga Swiatek (#2) 5-7, 6-1, 7-6
• Final: d. Aryna Sabalenka (#1) 6-3, 2-6, 7-5

“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, and helped me every step of the way. Last year was so tough, with some really bad injuries, I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to do it again.

“To be here and have this trophy, and my husband [and coach], who is looking confused over there... I love you too. I love you all so much.

“I want to say thank you so much, [I’m] so appreciative to every single person who helped me continue to believe in myself, [and] push on to achieve this dream. Thank you so much and I cannot wait to see you all next year.”

American Madison Keys is a first-time major winner.Credit: Eddie Jim

Later, Keys said her overwhelming emotion was pride. “I’m mostly just really proud of myself to get back to this position and be able to play the way that I played and finish on such a strong note. I’m just really proud of myself,” she said.

“I didn’t always believe that I could get back to this point. But to be able to do it and win, it means the world to me.”

In terms of Americans, Keys joins an elite set. She is now the fifth different American since 2000 to win the women’s title after Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati, Williams and Sofia Kenin.

Keys showed nerves of steel in the first set, needing just 35 minutes to hold it out. In contrast, the errors flowed freely on Sabalenka’s racquet. She put down four double faults for the set, including two in the opening game as the early tone was set.

The tempo of the match changed sharply thereafter. Sabalenka, showing the more mature components of her game which has taken her to the world’s top ranking over the past 24 months, gritted her teeth and fought her way back.

It took 45 minutes and very little drop off from Keys but Sabalenka levelled the contest. The stage was set for a deciding set and a women’s final for the ages.

“I think she played, like, super aggressive,” Sabalenka reflected on the hot Keys start.

“It seemed like everything was going her way. I was just trying to put the ball back. Couldn’t really play my aggressive tennis and didn’t feel my serve that well. The return was off.

“Then in the second set I kind of got my rhythm back. From the second set, I would say the real tennis match started.”

The two power players exchanged blows in the early stages of the final set, but the decisive moment happened late and suddenly – in the 12th game on Sabalenka’s serve. Trying to hold serve and force a match tie-breaker, Sabalenka slipped up and Keys jumped on her chance.

Not only will Keys return to the world’s top 10 for the first time in two years, she’ll match her career-high ranking of world No.7 when the new rankings are released next week.

Keys powered through 12-straight tour wins in Australia on the way to the title after winning the Adelaide International in an ideal lead-up for the Open.

Keys is also the fourth-oldest first-time grand slam champion in the Open era, not that she was trying to break records before an appreciative crowd on Rod Laver Arena. The others ahead of her on that count were Flavia Pennetta, who was 33 when she claimed the 2015 US Open, Ann Jones (then 30) who won the 1969 Wimbledon title, and Italian Francesca Schiavone, who was on the cusp of turning 30 years old when she claimed the 2010 Roland-Garros title.

Keys finally reigned supreme in her 46th grand slam appearance. Only two players waited longer to do so in the open era – Pennetta a decade ago and 2013 Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli.

Her victory will be a salient story for all tour players – your moment could come one day, just be ready to take it.

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