Following a pulsating encounter with the world number two Iga Swiatek, American star Madison Keys is once again one match away from finally becoming a Grand Slam champion.
Despite facing a match point against Swiatek, Keys called upon all of her experience to take the game 10-8 in the 10-point tie-breaker at the end of the third and final set.
Keys had already dumped out Danielle Collins, Elena Rybakina and Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open and will now face Aryna Sabalenka to win a Grand Slam for the very first time.
Not since the 2017 US Open has Keys progressed through six matches and put herself into a final showdown. On that occasion, she lost to Sloane Stephens and this time she will hope to go one better.
Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton react as Madison Keys reaches Australian Open final
Shelton was up late to watch the end of this one, despite facing a semi-final match of his own tomorrow against the world number one Jannik Sinner.
He posted the words ‘Unreal’ and ‘Finals’ on his Instagram story and shared an image of himself watching Keys in action with the game going on into the early hours of the morning.
Gauff saw her chances of winning the tournament end at the quarter-final stage. She was beaten by Paula Badosa and missed out on a mouthwatering last four clash with Sabalenka.
She shared an image of Keys celebrating her win and placed the word ‘go’ on her Instagram story whilst also sharing the USA flag.
Keys has been a professional since 2009 and this has the potential to be her defining moment as a tennis star, with a maiden Grand Slam crown now firmly within her grasp.
Madison Keys record vs Aryna Sabalenka
Keys is going to have to defy the odds to win the Australian Open. Her record against the Belarussian player is pretty grim and she will have to dig deep to prevail.
The pair have faced off on five occasions with Sabalenka coming out on top in four of those meetings.
Most recently, the two players met in Beijing with the world number one coming out on top as a 6-4, 6-3 winner.
In 2023, the two players met in the semi-final of the US Open. On that occasion, Keys won the first set 6-0 but would lose the next two 7-6 to be denied a final spot.
Sabalenka has also prevailed at Wimbledon and in the Cincinnati Open, with Keys’ only win coming in 2021 during the round of 16 at the Berlin Open.
It’s cliched, of course, but form goes out of the window a little bit for a final. In reaching this stage, both players are clearly playing well and the final has the potential to be a real classic.
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