USA’s Madison Keys wins first grand slam title at Australian Open, stunning world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in thrilling final

Madison Keys won her first ever grand slam title on Saturday, stunning two-time defending champion and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 2-6 7-5 in a thrilling Australian Open women’s final.

Madison Keys won her first ever grand slam title on Saturday, stunning two-time defending champion and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 2-6 7-5 in a thrilling Australian Open women’s final. The 29-year-old American initially enjoyed one of those golden days when every part of her game came together perfectly – her serve was immaculate, her returns aggressive and her groundstrokes as powerful as the notoriously powerful Sabalenka – as she raced into an early one-set lead. But in the second set – as Sabalenka displayed all the qualities that have made her the most dominant hard-court player on the women’s tour – Keys’ easy, languid rhythm deserted her and all the momentum seemed to swing back towards the Belarusian. Keys has come close to a grand slam title before, reaching the 2017 US Open final and four major semifinals. But none of that pressure seemed to affect her in the final set as she held her nerve, finally broke Sabalenka at 7-5 and raised her arms to the sky in celebration. This is a developing story and will be updated.