Madison Keys enjoyed one of the most impressive Grand Slam runs in recent memory to emerge victorious at the Australian Open.
Martina Navratilova has congratulated Keys on her maiden Grand Slam title, which she won after a thrilling final with Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka said Keys played ‘incredible’ in their clash at Rod Laver Arena, which ended 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in favour of the latter.
Keys was competing in her second Grand Slam final, having lost the 2017 US Open final to Sloane Stephens.
But she couldn’t be stopped at the Australian Open this time around, with the 29-year-old battling past several top opponents on her way to the title.
Madison Keys wants to be proud of her tennis after Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek praise
Keys was forced to make it past second seed and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in the semi-final, before beating top seed and world number one Sabalenka in the final.
Both the Pole and the Belarusian admitted to feeling essentially powerless against the big-hitting American when she was on such form, with Keys now issuing her response to the ultimately flattering verdicts.
“I feel like that is kind of just how I want to play tennis,” she said on the WTA Insider Podcast. “I am not going to sit there and say that forehand at 30-30 is going to go in all the time.
“Sometimes it’s going to go out, sometimes I might bury it at the bottom of the net. But sometimes it will go in.
“I think if I can continue to just try and do that consistently, not only will good things happen but I can always walk away with my head held high and be proud of myself. That’s really all I want at this point, it’s just to be proud of what I leave out there.
“I feel like I am getting a lot better at being proud of not only my level but my ability to problem solve and be very aware of what is going on.”
Who did Madison Keys beat en route to Australian Open title?
Keys really got the crowd going with a phenomenal low forehand winner after being taken to 30-30 at 5-5 in the final set, which the Australian Open labelled “maybe the best shot of her career” on social media.
She hit another winner before securing victory shortly after, but the previous effort was one of many that Sabalenka could simply only stand and watch.
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek react as Madison Keys wins the Australian Open title
It was a similar story against Swiatek, who along with Sabalenka was among the favourites to lift the trophy.
A total of 11 of her forehand winners in the final were groundstroke shots, with one volley shot and one passing shot also hit by Keys.
| Round | Opponent | Score | Venue |
| 1st round | Ann Li | 6-4, 7-5 | John Cain Arena |
| 2nd round | Elena-Gabriela Ruse | 7-6(7-1), 2-6, 7-5 | Margaret Court Arena |
| 3rd round | Danielle Collins | 6-4, 6-4 | Rod Laver Arena |
| 4th round | Elena Rybakina | 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 | Margaret Court Arena |
| Quarter-final | Elina Svitolina | 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 | Rod Laver Arena |
| Semi-final | Iga Swiatek | 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(10-8) | Rod Laver Arena |
| Final | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 | Rod Laver Arena |
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