Madison Keys delivered as soon as once more in a thriller because the No. 19 seed edged out top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 2-6 7-5 to win the Australian Open and turn out to be a Grand Slam champion on the age of 29.
Two days earlier, the American saved a match level to upset world No. 2 Iga Swiatek and it needs to be talked about that she additionally beat Elena Rybakina within the round-of-16.
At the moment, she pulled off one other huge win as she prevented Sabalenka from finishing a three-peat and turning into the primary participant since Martina Hingis in 1999 to take action.
As was the case earlier within the match, Keys was once more extraordinarily aggressive and enjoying her sport – she completed with 29 winners.
Madison Keys© Australian Open/X – Honest Use
Now, eight years after shedding to Sloane Stephens within the 2017 US Open ultimate, the 29-year-old American made amends and lifted a Slam title.
On the opposite aspect, the 26-year-old Belarusian stays with three Grand Slam titles in her assortment.
How Keys overcame Sabalenka?
After the Belarusian sprayed two double faults within the opening sport of the match, she ended up shedding her serve within the first and fifth video games because the No. 19 seed opened a 5-1 lead.
Whereas the No. 1 seed managed to save lots of a set level within the seventh sport and get one break again within the following sport, the American did not panic and claimed one other break within the ninth sport to seal the opener.
After hitting simply 4 winners and blasting 12 double faults within the opener, Sabalenka stabilized in the beginning of the second set and he or she additionally determined to attempt to break Keys’ rhythm by going for drop photographs.
And it labored after the world No. 1 claimed back-to-back breaks and received 5 video games in a row to go 5-1 earlier than serving out for a decider within the eighth sport.
The state of affairs fully modified within the second set because the Belarusian had 13 winners – 9 greater than within the first set.
After a complete of six breaks throughout the primary two units, not a single break level was seen within the first 11 video games of the third set.
Then, Keys earned two consecutive break factors within the twelfth sport – which on the identical time have been championships – and transformed her second with a forehand winner to turn out to be a Slam champion.
