Keys wins AO to deny Sabalenka a hat-trick

Aryna Sabalenka destroyed her racquet seconds after her dream of an Australian Open title hat-trick evaporated with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 loss in the final to Madison Keys on Saturday.

World No. 1 Sabalenka was caught out by her 29-year-old American opponent who claimed her first Grand Slam title after losing the 2017 US Open final to Sloane Stephens.

“I’m glad I finally got you back,” Keys joked to her rival. “It was unbelievable tennis. It’s always so tough, we play the craziest matches.

“I made my first Grand Slam semi-final here (2015). To win my first Grand Slam here means absolutely the world to me.

“I’ve wanted this for so long ever since my other Grand Slam final did not go my way.”An emotional winner added: “I didn’t know if I could ever get to the position to win a major again.

“But my team – her new husband Bjorn Fratangelo is also her coach – believed in me every step of the way.”

Sabalenka looked on her way to digging out of trouble following a losing first set; she lost her last match here in 2022 before winning the title in 2023 and 2024.

Keys started off on a tear, helped by a pair of Sabalenka double-faults in the first game of the final.

The American challenger  held her nerve against the top seed and squeaked out the opening set , breaking after her opponent handed over a set point from another double-fault.

It was only the second set Sabalenka had lost all tournament.

But the top seed showed her pedigree with a turnaround mid-way through the second set, at one point winning 10 of 15 points and levelling the match on her third chance.

Keys hung tough in the deciding set of what ended as a two-hour-plus battle, earning two match points in the 12th game and sending over an inside-out forehand winner to claim the biggest win of her career.

Sabalenka pulled herself together for the trophy ceremony, joking that she “hated” her team, adding: “I don’t want to see you guys for at least a week.

“Thanks for everything you are doing for me, blah, blah, blah… I love you even though we lost.”

Sabalenka congratulated the winner: “Maddi played incredibly. I couldn’t do anything in this match

“The next time I play her I will bring better tennis.

“Even if I didn’t get it (trophy) win, I will come back stronger and do my best next year.”

Keys will return to the ranking top 10 for the first time since January, 2023; and will duplicate her  career-best ranking of seventh, which she last held nine years ago.

She tuned up for Melbourne with a second title in Adelaide.