AMERICA! Madison Keys Finally Wins Her First Career Grand Slam Title, Taking Down World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka In An Epic Aussie Open Final

MARTIN KEEP. Getty Images.

She did it!!!! Madison Keys is finally a grand slam champion, and boy did she earn this one. What a match if you stayed up late or got up early for it. Sure our Saturday is now fucked up, but I'd say that was well worth it with the outcome we got. That was awesome. 

Madison Keys has been on the WTA tour for 16 years and had never won a grand slam title. Tons of success no doubt, but she'd experienced the most painful heartbreak when it came to what mattered most, whether it be from injuries or collapses. All that is gone now. Keys just beat the world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in three incredible sets to win the 2025 Aussie Open title. It's one of the more well deserved slam titles in the history of the sport. 

Keys started this one on fire, serving incredibly and ripping forehands. That's her bread and butter. Her forehand speed is up there with some of the top men's velocities on tour. It's a missile, but location is the key and for the most part tonight it was very on. She had Sabalenka rattled early with her power, but how long could that last? 

Keys raced to a 5-1 lead out of the gates before Sabalenka began to find her range. Things got a little dicey as the set went to 5-3, before Keys broke to take the opening set. Massive, but getting that second set was always gonna be the biggest chore. Back in 2023 Keys had a 6-0, 5-3 lead over Sabalenka in the US Open semis before blowing that lead entirely. Having a lead and blowing it is a feeling she unfortunately knows all too well. 

Sabalenka blitzed Keys in the second and quickly leveled things up at a set a piece. Given their track records and history I didn't give Madison much of a shot to hold her nerves and overcome the two time Aussie champ to take it home in three. 

I'm so happy to have been wrong. 

Keys was a rock, holding from 30-30 three separate times. She never blinked and just before we were about to enter a 10 point match tiebreak for all the marbles, she found a few forehands and broke Sabalenka to win the tournament. Aryna did not take it well.

Not only did Keys beat the world's number one ranked player to win this thing, but her path to this point was as hard as it gets. Danielle Collins, Elena Rybakina, an in-form Elina Svitolina, and Iga Swiatek. That's a murderers' row in today's era. Nothing about this title was handed to her. 

I'd like to think that if you follow tennis close enough you're extremely happy for Madi here. One of the nicest players in the sport and as I said before, way too familiar with heartbreak. Husband Bjorn Fratangelo is her coach too, a former player himself. 

What a moment for them both, in tears as she lifted the trophy. She deserved to get one in her career and here it is in amazing fashion.

AMERICA!