Jessica Pegula says what she was telling everyone about Madison Keys before the Australian Open even started

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Madison Keys beat Aryna Sabalenka in three sets to win her first-ever Major title at the Australian Open.

It may only be January, but we might’ve just seen the story of the year, as Keys beat Sabalenka to win the Australian Open title.

Keys took down Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals having saved match points, as she beat the world’s top two players in back-to-back matches.

Now an Australian Open champion, Keys herself will rise to number seven in the world rankings, matching her career-high.

Keys had already won the Adelaide International earlier this month, as she now extends her winning-streak to 12 matches.

The WTA star who Keys beat in the Adelaide final, has now said what she was telling people about her fellow American before the Australian Open began.

Jessica Pegula told everyone before the Australian Open that Madison Keys could ‘win the title’

After the match, 2025 Adelaide International finalist Jessica Pegula took to X, to comment on Keys’ win.

“This is true, I kind of told everyone to be honest,” she said.

Pegula was referring to what she told Rennae Stubbs ahead of the tournament, about Keys’ level.

“If Madison Keys plays half as good as she did against me in the third set of the Adelaide Final, she will win the title,” she said earlier this month.

Keys beat Pegula 6-1 in the Adelaide International final set, playing some sensational tennis that left the 30-year-old stunned.

Having dropped the second set 1-6, Keys battled back in the third, hitting the ball brilliantly on her way to the title.

Pegula just couldn’t keep up with Keys and knew that the level she showed in the third set was Grand Slam quality.

The American was happy to remind fans that she ‘told everyone’ that Keys could win the title, but also took time to congratulate the 29-year-old.

“We love to see it,” she said.

“Much deserved in every way possible.”

Madison Keys becomes fifth American to win the Australian Open this Century

Pegula was delighted to see Keys become the latest American to lift the Australian Open title on Rod Laver Arena.

In doing so, she became the fifth to do so in the 21st Century, and the second this decade.

• Lindsay Davenport – 2000 Australian Open
• Jennifer Capriati – 2001, 2002 Australian Open
• Serena Williams – 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017 Australian Open
• Sofia Kenin – 2020 Australian Open
• Madison Keys – 2025 Australian Open

Sofia Kenin was the last American to win the Australian Open, as she took down Garbine Muguruza, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, five years ago.

Kenin won the title two years after Caroline Wozniacki in 2018, who remarkably remain the only two Australian Open winners to have never won another Major title since another American, Barbora Jordan, 46 years ago.

Perhaps a good sign for Keys, who will no doubt be looking to add another Major title to her collection in the near future.

Where is Madison Keys most likely to win another Grand Slam title?

Keys will want to avoid the fate of Kenin and Wozniacki, and instead pick up another Grand Slam before the end of her career.

But at which Grand Slam tournament would that be most likely?

The American reached a Major final once before, losing to Sloane Stephens in the 2017 US Open, but has enjoyed success at all four Majors.

It may well be at Flushing Meadows in September that Keys has the best shot of winning another, having won 72% of her matches at the event during her career so far.

That’s not to say that she hasn’t enjoyed success in London or Paris, however, as the American has reached the quarter-final stages on multiple occasions.

Back in 2018, Keys surprised fans by reaching the last four in Roland Garros, eventually falling in straight sets to Stephens, as she came up short against her rival once more.

Only time will tell if the 29-year-old can win another Major title, but if she plays anything like she did on Saturday, or how she did in Adelaide for that matter, it certainly wouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.