Madison Keys achieved a major milestone in her career by winning her first Grand Slam title, defeating defending two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling three-set match, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, on Saturday.
At 29 years old, Keys had not appeared in a Grand Slam final in eight years, with her last appearance coming in the 2017 U.S. Open, where she lost to Sloane Stephens.
After the victory, Keys expressed her gratitude to several people, including her husband and coach, former American tennis player Bjorn Fratengelo, with whom she had just married in November.
With this win, Keys will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 7 when the new ATP rankings are released on Monday. She reflected that, when she was younger, not winning a Grand Slam would have felt like a heavy weight on her shoulders.
“I’ve wanted this for so long, and I’ve been in a Grand Slam final before, but it didn’t go my way,” Keys said after her victory. “I didn’t know if I would ever get back to this point to try for another trophy, but my team believed in me every step of the way, so I’m really grateful.”
In her 46th Grand Slam appearance, the third-most by any woman before winning a major title, Keys triumphed by defeating the tournament’s top two seeds. After the match, she shared a heartfelt hug with her husband, while Sabalenka, visibly frustrated, threw her racket.
“They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself and supported me every step of the way,” Keys said. “Last year was incredibly tough with some serious injuries, and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to do it again. But here I am, holding this trophy, and being able to share this moment with my husband, who looks a bit dazed and confused over there. I love you all so much, and I’m excited for what’s to come.”
