MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Madison Keys has taken a significant step in the women’s final of the Australian Open, securing the first set with a score of 6-3 against the two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. The match took place on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the iconic Melbourne Park.
Keys demonstrated her aggressive play by breaking Sabalenka’s serve in the opening game. Although she faced some challenges, including missing a set point in the seventh game and dropping her own serve in the eighth, she managed to convert another break, enabling her to clinch the set after a swift 35 minutes on the court. This early momentum may serve to boost her confidence as the match progresses.
For Sabalenka, ranked as the top player in the world, this final offers a chance to achieve a rare feat: to win a third consecutive singles title at the Australian Open, a milestone not accomplished by a woman in more than 25 years. She is looking to add to her impressive title collection, having previously won the tournament in 2023 and 2024, as well as the U.S. Open last September. With a perfect record of 11-0 at the start of 2025, Sabalenka is clearly a formidable opponent.
Keys, on the other hand, aims to secure her first Grand Slam trophy. This is her second appearance in a Grand Slam final, following her previous experience as the runner-up at the 2017 U.S. Open. Currently seeded No. 19, she has been on an impressive 11-match winning streak, with a notable upset victory over the No. 2 seed, Iga Swiatek, in the semifinals just days before.
Looking towards the men’s draw, the Australian Open will also feature its final on Sunday, where the defending champion Jannik Sinner will face Alexander Zverev. Sinner, seeded No. 1, is fresh off his semifinal victory against American player Ben Shelton, while Zverev advanced after Novak Djokovic, a 10-time Australian Open winner, withdrew due to injury.
As the women’s final continues, fans around the world are eager to see if Keys can maintain her momentum or if Sabalenka will channel her experience to mount a comeback and defend her title. The stakes are high as both players vie for glory on one of tennis’s biggest stages.
