Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka are set to face off in a highly anticipated final at the Australian Open on Saturday. As the world watches, Keys, who wrote "Oh my god" on the camera lens following her semifinal victory against Iga Świątek, prepares for her second grand slam final appearance, her first in Melbourne. Meanwhile, Sabalenka, on an 11-match winning streak, stands as the favorite to clinch the title. The match promises to be a gripping contest of talent and tenacity.
Sabalenka aims for a historic achievement in Melbourne as she seeks her third consecutive Australian Open title. Only four women—Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, and Martina Hingis—have ever completed an Australian Open three-peat. Sabalenka stands in a strong position to join this elite group, having dropped only one set on her journey to the final. She is currently the world No. 2 and has already secured two Australian Open crowns and the US Open title last year.
The final will take place at 3:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, and all eyes will be on the court to see if Sabalenka can make history or if Keys can upset the odds. Despite Sabalenka's formidable form, Keys has reason to be confident. She has beaten Sabalenka in four of their last five meetings and started the year with a victory at the WTA tournament in Adelaide, earning her ninth title.
“The big thing for me has just been knowing that there are going to be a lot of moments where I’m uncomfortable in the match,” – Madison Keys
Keys acknowledges the pressure of playing in a grand slam final but embraces the challenge. Her approach to handling stressful situations on the court has evolved over time.
“It’s going to be stressful, you have thousands of people watching you, you might not be playing your best tennis, but instead of trying to shy away from that and search for settling or comfort or anything, just being okay with the situation. You can also play tennis through that.” – Madison Keys
Sabalenka, reflecting on her journey and the opportunity ahead, expressed her overwhelming excitement about potentially etching her name into the annals of tennis history.
“It’s a privilege. If I’ll be able to put my name into history, it’s going to mean a lot. It’s going to mean the world to me … I couldn’t even dream about that, to be honest. At first, I was dreaming to win at least one grand slam, now I have this opportunity. It’s incredible.” – Aryna Sabalenka
For Keys, reaching this stage represents growth and learning from past experiences. Reflecting on a previous grand slam final appearance, she recalls being overwhelmed by nerves and unable to play her best tennis.
“During that match, I was so consumed with being nervous and the moment, the opportunity and all of that, I never really gave myself a chance to actually play,” – Madison Keys
As she heads into another high-pressure match, Keys remains focused on maintaining composure.
“I’m still trying to come down and figure out where I am,” – Madison Keys
Steffi Graf, one of the four women with an Australian Open three-peat under her belt, praised Sabalenka's resilience and determination.
“For her to be at this point, she’s doing a lot of things right,” – Steffi Graf
Graf also noted improvements in Sabalenka's physical strength and mental fortitude.
“I mean, it seems like also physically, she’s gotten stronger and less injury prone. What’s really impressive (with Sabalenka) is her mentality and I think her ability to always go for it, no matter what the score is, is really impressive,” – Steffi Graf
Keys aims to adopt a similar mindset in crucial points during matches.
“The one thing that I really wanted to try to be better at was not playing more passive in big points and honestly just trying to emulate the way that she trusts her game and she goes after it.” – Madison Keys
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