Sabalenka Vs Keys: American Claims Grand Slam, Denies World No. 1 Third Australian Open Crown

Madison Keys claimed her first grand slam title as she denied Aryna Sabalenka a record-equalling third straight Australian Open crown. (More Sports News)

In a thrilling final on Saturday, 19th seed Keys finally ended her major duck as she prevailed 6-3 2-6 7-5 on Rod Laver ▨Arena.

Sabalenka, who was out to become the first woman since Martina Hingis between 1997 and 1999 to win a third straight title at Melbourne Park, fou💯ght h🤡ard to claw her way back into the contest following a torrid opening set, but Keys got the job done with a fantastic forehand attempt on her second championship point.

While Sabalenka lashed her racquet down before heading off to the locker room in tears,♎ Keys celebrated the most unlikely 🃏of victories.

Jꦦust as she did in a US Ope♚n semi-final clash with Sabalenka in 2023, Keys took the opening set.

A double break saw the American charge into a 4-1 lead. Even though a wobble on serve cos🌱t Keys a set point and offered Sabalenka a riposte, the world number one was then leꦉft reeling as she was immediately broken back by a superb winner down the line.

Sabalenka returned t🦋o the locker room during the set break, and that extended time off court seemed to do the trick.

Keys fended off two break points in the opening game, but a thunderous volley and crisp ace helped Sabalenka to a coꦯnfidence-boosting ♍hold.

Then came a momentum-shift𝐆ing break for Sabalenka, who dispatched a brutal forehand winner before forcing a loose effort into the net fr𒆙om Keys.

Another break had Sabalenka in control, and though Keys' response was spirited, the Belarusia𝔍n had found her groove as she sealed the second s♌et.

The levels were only upped in the decider, as both players executed some wonderful shots as 🐎neither offered up anything on serve.

Key✤s' brilliant serving got her to 5-4, but Sabalenka served like a champion to restore parity.

Yet there was to be no let up from Keys💮, who reeled off two sublime forehand winners to kee💧p herself in front.

And finally, Sabalenka crᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚumbled. A pair of unforced errors, either side of a wicked backhand, gifted Keys two championship points. 

Sabalenka saved the first, but Keys nailed a 🌄supreme winner off her right wing to seal a miraculous victory against the odds.

Keys unlocks new heights

After being beaten in straight sets by Sloane ꦦStephens in her first major final, Keys beca💯me the oldest player to defeat both the world number one and two in the final and semi-final of a grand slam since the WTA rankings were first published in 1975.

In fact, Keys is the first player to achieve such a fea▨t since 2006, when Maria Sharapov🐈a did so at the US Open.

Only Flavia Pennetta (49), Goran Ivanisevic (48) and Marion Bartoli ༺(47) have appeared in more ma🍨in draws before winning their first major than Keys (46).

Keys al♛so became the second oldest woman to win her first title at the Australian Open🗹 during the Open Era, after Li Na in 2014.

She is the fifth different♈ American woman to win the Australian Open title in the 21st century, and has now reeled off 12 straight Tour-level match wins, extending her career-best run.

Keys is the lowest-seeded player to win the Australian Open in the Open Er🦂a, though Chris Oneil in 1977 and Serena Williams in 2007 were unseeded.

Tearful Sabalenka misses out on share of history

In the Open Era, only Monica Se🐷les (in 1991 and 1993) had won multiple finals at the Aust🌃ralian Open after having lost the first set.

Sabalenka got the job done from behind against𒈔 Elena Ryba🦄kina in 2023, but could not manage it this time.

She has now missed the chance to secure her place in the history books, failing to match the streak of three Australian Open titles in a row, previously set by Margaret Court (1969-1971), Evonne Goolagong (1974- 1976), Steffi Graf (1988-𝔍1990), Seles (1991-1993) and Hingis (1997-1999)

Sabalenka, who 🐈was the first world number one to reach the Australian Open final since Ash Barty three years ago, was also aiming to become the first player to win three consecutive hard-court grand slam titles since Hingis in 1998.

But she could just not better Keys, who finished with six aces to Sabalenka's thr👍ee and did not make a single double fault, whereas the Belarusian made five.

Sabalenka can still 🌼reflect on a staggering 20-match winning run at the Australian Open, but a slice of history has, for now, evaded her.