S Poddar
Madison Keys has made her mark in the history of tennis by winning her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, winning a thrilling victory over Aryna Sabalenka. Keys won 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in a gripping encounter, which she described as the best of her career. With this victory, the 29-year-old American not only claimed her maiden Grand Slam but also joined a select group of players as the fourth-oldest first-time women’s Grand Slam champion in the Open Era. This accomplishment came in her 46th Grand Slam appearance, the second-highest number for a first-time champion.
Keys’ path to victory was nothing short of extraordinary. She had pulled off an upset of monumental proportions two days earlier by defeating world No. 2 Iga Świątek and now became the first player since Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2009 to beat both the top two players at a Grand Slam. After all those years of watching and listening to whispers about the potential of that young talent from Illinois, Keys has finally silenced her critics and etched her name on the list of all-time greats in the game.
Perhaps, though, this journey all began in 2009 when Keys made her WTA debut as a 14-year-old. By then she had already signed endorsement deals, and the tennis world buzzed with anticipation over her potential.”. After she became one of the youngest-ever winners on the WTA tour, the expectations shot through the roof. But that was sometimes a weight too much to bear, especially as Keys fought for years without being able to break through. She was then faced with several moments when the pursuit of success felt stifling.
Years passed, however, and she learned to accept the pressures that came with the game. As much as she yearned for Grand Slam success, Keys had to come to terms with the possibility that it might never happen. Her first taste of Grand Slam final disappointment came at the 2017 US Open, where she faltered against close friend Sloane Stephens, losing 6-3, 6-0. Since then, for Keys, much of the journey has been about learning to embrace the nervousness that goes with big moments but also knowing those nerves don’t determine her skills on the court.
In Melbourne, versus world No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, Keys showed immense mental toughness. The final started with Sabalenka visibly jangled, committing double faults and struggling to find her rhythm. Keys, however, was in charge from the word go. Her serve was a weapon and her forehands, thudding from her racket, quickly rang in the tone of the match. The crowd at Rod Laver Arena was astounded at the sight as she unloads shot after shot, her confidence mounting with each opportunity seized.
Sabalenka, a fierce ball-striker, faced a tough matchup in the American, who is herself one of the hardest hitters in the game. Keys played relentlessly aggressive tennis, refusing to allow Sabalenka to settle into the match. As the second set unfolded, Sabalenka began to find her form, erasing earlier mistakes and upping her level. She began to take the pressure off Keys’ second serve, and the match was very much alive. The use of drop shots showed how much her game had improved: they really kept Keys off balance, forcing her to adjust for them.
By the third set, Sabalenka seemed to be back in control, but Keys was not about to concede her moment. It was so balanced at times, but both players reached their point of high power as they enter highly exciting first-strike tennis, which grew so intense with every point. Keys represented herself well under heavy pressure, and at 5-4, she put Sabalenka under scrutiny from the scoreboard. Sabalenka relaxed with a calm hold for 5-5, but Keys went into the trenches. She was facing a 15-30 deficit when she served with authority and blasted two forehand winners to hold for 6-5.
Separated from glory by only one game, Keys played what will be considered her return game of life as she approached the game with similar aggression that dominated the match-swinging to fence with every return. And this fearless play was rewarded for her as a final, blistering rally handed the match over to her. Keys had a collapse into the court to revel in this long-awaited triumph with the eruption of the crowd that had for long denied her the Grand Slam success.
This is not only the zenith of Keys’ career but a testament to the resilience of determination. Starting with the bright lights of promise early on to dark days of despair and doubt about herself, Keys has had to come a full circle proving that the road to victory was important as well as the win. This Australian Open title is a very well-deserved reward for all the years of hard work and perseverance, and it marks the beginning of a new chapter in her storied career.
