madison keys

 

American Madison Keys wins Australian Open championship

• Associated Press

Jan 25, 2025, 04:21 PM

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Madison Keys of the United States upset two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the Australian Open final on Saturday night to collect her first Grand Slam title at age 29.

By adding this win over the No. 1-ranked Sabalenka to an elimination of No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals on Thursday -- saving a match point along the way -- Keys is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2005 to defeat both of the WTA's top two players at Melbourne Park.

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Keys, ranked 14th and seeded 19th, was playing in her second major final after being the runner-up at the 2017 US Open.

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She prevented Sabalenka from earning what would have been her third women's trophy in a row at the Australian Open -- something last accomplished by Martina Hingis from 1997-99 -- and her fourth major title overall.

When it ended, Keys covered her face with her hands, then raised her arms. Soon, she was hugging her husband, Bjorn Fratangelo -- who has been her coach since 2023 -- and other members of her team, before sitting on her sideline bench and laughing.

Sabalenka chucked her racket afterward, then covered her head with a white towel.

The men's final is Sunday, with defending champion Jannik Sinner against Alexander Zverev. Sinner is seeded No. 1, Zverev No. 2.

Sinner eliminated American Ben Shelton in the semifinals, while Zverev advanced when 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic stopped playing because of an injury.

Keys is the oldest woman to become a first-time major champion since Flavia Pennetta was 33 at the 2015 US Open. This was the 46th Slam appearance for Keys, which ranks as the third-most major tournaments before winning a trophy in the Open era, behind only Pennetta's 49 and Marion Bartoli's 47 when she won Wimbledon in 2013.

It was the more accomplished Sabalenka who was shakier at the outset. Keys broke three times in the first set, helped in part by Sabalenka's four double-faults and 13 total unforced errors.

Don't for a moment think this was merely an instance of Sabalenka being her own undoing.

Madison Keys upset two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in three sets in the Australian Open final for her first major title. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Keys certainly had a lot to do with the way things were going, too. She compiled an 11-4 edge in winners in that first set, managing to out-hit the big-hitting Sabalenka repeatedly from the baseline.

For a stretch, it seemed as though every shot off the strings of Keys' racket -- the one she switched to ahead of this season to protect her oft-injured right shoulder and to make it easier to control her considerable power -- was landing precisely where she wanted.

Near a corner. On a line. Out of Sabalenka's reach.

Also important was the way Keys, whose left thigh was taped for the match, covered every part of the court, racing to get to balls and send them back over the net with intent. On one terrific defensive sequence, she sprinted for a forehand that drew a forehand into the net from Sabalenka, capping a break for a 4-1 lead.

Never one to hide her emotions during a match, Sabalenka frequently displayed frustration while trailing on the scoreboard, kicking a ball after netting a volley, dropping her racket after missing an overhead, slapping her leg after an errant forehand.

Sabalenka took a trip to the locker room before the second set, and whether that helped clear her head or slowed Keys' momentum -- or both -- the final's complexion soon changed. Keys' first-serve percentage dipped from 86% in the first set to 59% in the second. Sabalenka raised her winner total to 13 in the second set and began accumulating, and converting, break points.

When she sent a backhand down the line to force an error by Keys for a break and a 2-1 lead in the second, Sabalenka shook her left fist and gritted her teeth as she walked to the sideline.

When she broke again to go up 4-1, Sabalenka marked the occasion with a long and loud scream while looking in the direction of her team.

By the time the last set arrived, the action was tight and tense, without so much as a single break point until its final game, when Keys came through with one last forehand winner.

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Australian Open winners: Men's and women's singles champions

Madison Keys won the 2025 Australian Open in women's singles. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

• ESPN

Jan 25, 2025, 04:18 PM

The 2025 Australian Open is wrapping up! Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev will face off in the men's final, while Madison Keys defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final. Fans can watch the action on ESPN.

In 2024, Sinner won the men's title, while Sabalenka took home the women's title. Novak Djokovic has won the most Australian Open titles in the Open era, with 10. Serena Williams leads the women's side, with seven titles. Let's take a look at every Australian Open winner over the years:

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MEN'S SINGLES CHAMPIONS

2024: Jannik Sinner

2023: Novak Djokovic

2022: Rafael Nadal

2021: Novak Djokovic

2020: Novak Djokovic

2019: Novak Djokovic

2018: Roger Federer

2017: Roger Federer

2016: Novak Djokovic

2015: Novak Djokovic

2014: Stan Wawrinka

2013: Novak Djokovic

2012: Novak Djokovic

2011: Novak Djokovic

2010: Roger Federer

2009: Rafael Nadal

2008: Novak Djokovic

2007: Roger Federer

2006: Roger Federer

2005: Marat Safin

2004: Roger Federer

2003: Andre Agassi

2002: Thomas Johannson

2001: Andre Agassi

2000: Andre Agassi

1999: Yevgeny Kafelnikov

1998: Petr Korda

1997: Pete Sampras

1996: Boris Becker

1995: Andre Agassi

1994: Pete Sampras

1993: Jim Courier

1992: Jim Courier

1991: Boris Becker

1990: Ivan Lendl

1989: Ivan Lendl

1988: Mats Wilander

1987: Stefan Edberg

1985: Stefan Edberg

1984: Mats Wilander

1983: Mats Wilander

1982: Johan Kriek

1981: Johan Kriek

1980: Brian Teacher

1979: Guillermo Vilas

1978: Guillermo Vilas

1977 Australian Open (Dec.): Vitas Gerulaitis 1

1977 Australian Open (Jan.): Roscoe Tanner

1976: Mark Edmondson

1975: John Newcombe

1974: Jimmy Connors

1973: John Newcombe

1972: Ken Rosewall

1971: Ken Rosewall

1970: Arthur Ashe

1969: Rod Laver

1968: Bill Bowrey

1967: Roy Emerson

1966: Roy Emerson

1965: Roy Emerson

1964: Roy Emerson

1963: Roy Emerson

1962: Rod Laver

1961: Roy Emerson

1960: Rod Laver

1959: Alex Olmedo

1958: Ashley J. Cooper

1957: Ashley J. Cooper

1956: Lewis Hoad

1955: Ken Rosewall

1954: Mervyn Rose

1953: Ken Rosewall

1952: Ken McGregor

1951: Dick Savitt

1950: Frank Sedgman

1949: Frank Sedgman

1948: Adrian Quist

1947: Dinny Pails

1946: John Bromwich

1945: Canceled due to World War II

1944: Canceled due to World War II

1943: Canceled due to World War II

1942: Canceled due to World War II

1941: Canceled due to World War II

1940: Adrian Quist

1939: John Bromwich

1938: Donald Budge

1937: Vivian McGrath

1936: Adrian Quist

1935: Jack Crawford

1934: Fred Perry

1933: Jack Crawford

1932: Jack Crawford

1931: Jack Crawford

1930: Gar Moon

1929: John Gregory

1928: Jean Borotra

1927: Gerald Patterson

1926: John Hawkes

1925: James Anderson

1924: James Anderson

1923: Pat O'Hara Wood

1922: Pat O'Hara Wood

1921: Rhys Gemmell

1920: Pat O'Hara Wood

1919: A.R.F. Kingscote

1918: Canceled due to World War I

1917: Canceled due to World War I

1916: Canceled due to World War I

1915: Francis Lowe

1914: Pat O'Hara Wood

1913: E.F. Parker

1912: Cecil Parke

1911: Norman Brookes

1910: Rodney Heath

1909: Tony Wilding

1908: Fred Alexander

1907: Horace Rice

1906: Tony Wilding

1905: Rodney Heath

WOMEN'S SINGLES CHAMPIONS

2025: Madison Keys

2024: Aryna Sabalenka

2023: Aryna Sabalenka

2022: Ashleigh Barty

2021: Naomi Osaka

2020: Sofia Kenin

2019: Naomi Osaka

2018: Caroline Wozniacki

2017: Serena Williams

2016: Angelique Kerber

2015: Serena Williams

2014: Li Na

2013: Victoria Azarenka

2012: Victoria Azarenka

2011: Kim Clijsters

2010: Serena Williams

2009: Serena Williams

2008: Maria Sharapova

2007: Serena Williams

2006: Amelie Mauresmo

2005: Serena Williams

2004: Justine Henin-Hardenne

2003: Serena Williams

2002: Jennifer Capriati

2001: Jennifer Capriati

2000: Lindsay Davenport

1999: Martina Hingis

1998: Martina Hingis

1997: Martina Hingis

1996: Monica Seles

1995: Mary Pierce

1994: Steffi Graf

1993: Monica Seles

1992: Monica Seles

1991: Monica Seles

1990: Steffi Graf

1989: Steffi Graf

1988: Steffi Graf

1987: Hana Mandlikova

1985: Martina Navratilova

1984: Chris Evert-Lloyd

1983: Martina Navratilova

1982: Chris Evert-Lloyd

1981: Martina Navratilova

1980: Hana Mandlikova

1979: Barbara Jordan

1978: Chris O'Neil

1977 Australian Open (Dec.): Evonne Goolagong-Cawley

1977 Australian Open (Jan.): Kerry Reid

1976: Evonne Goolagong-Cawley

1975: Evonne Goolagong

1974: Evonne Goolagong

1973: Margaret Smith-Court

1972: Virginia Wade

1971: Margaret Smith-Court

1970: Margaret Smith-Court

1969: Margaret Smith-Court

1968: Billie Jean King

1967: Nancy Richey

1966: Margaret Smith

1965: Margaret Smith

1964: Margaret Smith

1963: Margaret Smith

1962: Margaret Smith

1961: Margaret Smith

1960: Margaret Smith

1959: Mary Carter Reitano

1958: Angela Mortimer

1957: Shirley Fry

1956: Mary Carter

1955: Beryl Penrose

1954: Thelma Long

1953: Maureen Connolly

1952: Thelma Long

1951: Nancye Wynne Bolton

1950: A. Louise Brough

1949: Doris Hart

1948: Nancye Wynne Bolton

1947: Nancye Wynne Bolton

1946: Nancye Wynne Bolton

1945: Canceled due to World War II

1944: Canceled due to World War II

1943: Canceled due to World War II

1942: Canceled due to World War II

1941: Canceled due to World War II

1940: Nancye Wynne Bolton

1939: Emily Westacott

1938: Dorothy Bundy

1937: Nancye Wynne

1936: Joan Hartigan

1935: Dorothy Round

1934: Joan Hartigan

1933: Joan Hartigan

1932: Coral Buttsworth

1931: Coral Buttsworth

1930: Daphne Akhurst

1929: Daphne Akhurst

1928: Daphne Akhurst

1927: Esna Boyd

1926: Daphne Akhurst

1925: Daphne Akhurst

1924: Sylvia Lance

1923: Margaret Molesworth

1922: Margaret Molesworth

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