Aryna Sabalenka was visibly frustrated after her dream of winning a third consecutive Australian Open title slipped away, following her 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 defeat to Madison Keys in the final on Saturday.
Sabalenka threw her racket to the sideline and sat with a towel over her head on the bench. She even briefly walked off the court before the trophy ceremony. Reflecting on her loss, the world No. 1 admitted to feeling a mix of frustration, as she was so close to achieving something extraordinary. “When you’re out there fighting, but everything seems to go against you, it’s tough,” Sabalenka explained.
She also mentioned that it was important for her to let go of her negative emotions, especially before giving her speech. “I just needed to throw those negative emotions out so I could give a respectful speech,” she said. “I was just trying to let it go and be a good person.”
Having won 20 straight matches at Melbourne Park, a victory on Saturday would have made Sabalenka the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-99) to win three consecutive Australian Open titles.
“It’s alright. I know from experience that after tough losses, good wins follow,” Sabalenka reflected. “I’ll keep working hard and make sure that next time I’m in this position, I’ll perform better.”
The match was incredibly tight.
Keys won just one more point than Sabalenka, 92 to 91.
Both players recorded 29 winners each.
There wasn’t a break point in the third set until the very last game.
Sabalenka noted, “She played super aggressively. It felt like everything was going her way. I was just trying to get the ball back.”
Sabalenka came into the match with an undefeated 2025 record and had a 4-1 head-to-head advantage over Keys, the 29-year-old American, including a semifinal win at the U.S. Open two years ago.
After the victory, Keys acknowledged Sabalenka’s skill, saying, “Aryna, unbelievable playing. I’m glad I finally got you back. You’re always so tough to play, and we always have these crazy matches. Congratulations to you and your team for another amazing Grand Slam run.”
Sabalenka, who was the runner-up at the 2023 U.S. Open to Coco Gauff and won the event in September, couldn’t quite clinch her fourth major title in Australia.
During her speech on Saturday, she lightened the mood with a joke aimed at her team.
“As always, it’s your fault, guys. I don’t want to see you for the next week. I really hate you!” Sabalenka said with a laugh. “But seriously, thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me, and all that.”
