Madison Keys has just won her first Grand Slam after defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 2-6, 7-5 at the Australian Open. The 29-year-old played brilliant tennis and managed to beat the two-time defending champion in a three-set battle. The first set couldn’t have been better for Keys, who seemed to be having a perfect day on court. In the second set, Sabalenka responded with an unbelievable level of play. The third set was close, nerve-wracking, and both players gave their hearts and souls.
For years, Keys has wanted to conquer one of the major tennis tournaments. In 2017, she came close and managed to reach her first-ever Grand Slam final but was defeated by her close friend Sloane Stephens in the U.S. Open final. Injuries and personal struggles left Madison wondering if she’d be able to compete in professional tennis again.
“I have wanted this for so long, and I have been in one other Grand Slam final. It did not go my way, and I didn’t know if I was ever going to be able to get back to this position to try to win a trophy again,” she said.
Keys’ 2009 Coffee Bowl Run
Costa Rican tennis certainly remember Madison Keys. The Grand Slam champion played in the 2009 Coffee Bowl and won. She was thirteen at the time and already displayed her wonderful tennis abilities. Keys received a wild card and made her way to the final. Madison was just 13 at the time, but she showed her great qualities and defeated Russian player Valeria Solovieva 6-4, 7-5. Solovieva was the favorite to win the junior tournament, but Madison came through with a significant upset.
“Madison Keys was the most pleasant surprise of the 45th edition of the Copa del Café, and her sparkling final match against the Russian Valeria Solovieva was a demonstration of her high quality,” read the newspapers at the time. Although she seemed nervous at first, she gradually became calmer and imposed her quality to finally triumph to the respect and admiration of the public that filled the stadium court.
“I started slow, but I managed to get into the rhythm of the game. I went in very nervous, but I calmed down and was able to play my tennis. Valeria is a great player,” said the tennis player in her post-match interview.
