Madison Keys finally unlocks Grand Slam glory — More from 2025 Australian Open

The IX: Tennis Tuesday with Joey Dillon, Jan. 28, 2025

Howdy, y’all and Happy Tennis Tuesday! I usually would give the TT after a Grand Slam my own spin on Jon Wertheim’s Parting Shots. However, after watching Madison Keys capture her first major the way she did with the road she was given? I’m completely inspired.

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Keys has been touted as a future Grand Slam champion and World No. 1 since she first broke on the scene in 2009 when she became the seventh-youngest woman to win a WTA main draw match. By 2011, she was a Top 20 junior and shifted her focus to senior events. Her climb up the WTA ladder was pretty consistent to the casual viewer — a first WTA title in 2014, a Grand Slam semifinal in Melbourne the following year and then a Top 10 debut after that. Then in 2017, she reached the U.S. Open final facing off against her best friend in Sloane Stephens — highly favored in that matchup. Unfortunately, the occasion severely overwhelmed Keys, who would lose 6-3, 6-0, ending the match in tears.

The next eight seasons would bring major highs — four more Grand Slam semifinals and another pair of quarterfinal finishes, a massive breakthrough at the 2019 Cincinnati Open for her first WTA 1000 title, but also an array of injuries and even more patches of subpar play. To me, the big turning point of Keys’ career came at the 2023 U.S. Open when she faced off against Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals and cruised to a 6-0, 5-3 lead before losing the next two sets in devastating tiebreaks. After the match, she wondered if she’d ever have the opportunity to hold a Slam trophy again. Enter 2024 and she had to miss the Australian swing because of a shoulder injury and at Wimbledon, she seemed to be in career-best form and on the verge of another quarterfinal — and perhaps more — before a thigh injury as she approached match point caused her to retire at 5-5 in the final set. Again, more tears.

The story of Keys suddenly was no longer “not if, but when,” but now “is it too late?” Keys ignored that notion and at 29 years old (and newly married to former ATP player Bjorn Frantangelo, her now-coach) decided to use the 2024 off-season to change quite a lot. First, she switched racquets from Wilson — who she’s used her entire career — to Yonex but more importantly, changed her serving position from a platform stance to help alleviate extra pressure on her legs that were constantly getting injured. She was upset in Auckland by eventual champion Clara Tauson to kick off the year, but rebounded with another Adelaide title to enter the Australian Open in solid form. Still, what she produced was a run not many would bet on.

Keys began her run with a solid straight-sets win over compatriot Ann Li before having to squeak out a 7-5 third set victory against Elena-Gabriela Ruse. The third round showed some promise when she bested No. 10 Danielle Collins in two sets before she went on a spree that still has me shook. In the fourth round, she knocked out No. 6 Elena Rybakina in three sets and then made her third semifinal in Melbourne with a come-from-behind three-setter against No. 28 Elina Svitolina. Then, she finally powered through to her second Grand Slam final by holding her nerve to take out No. 2 Iga Swiatek in a third-set tiebreaker and set up a showdown against No. 1 Sabalenka. Remember, her last Grand Slam semifinal ended in that heartbreak and in an-almost-Hollywood-like way, it was fitting the Belarussian would be the final hurdle.

The final was exactly what you wanted in a winner-take-all final. The tennis was hard-hitting, nail-biting and incredibly high-quality. At 5-5, with no breaks between both players, I admit I was tense and nervous, wondering if this is where Keys would falter, especially after she hit a double fault. However, at 30-30, she went for a bigger-than-normal second serve that was replied exceptionally by Sabalenka. Then, Keys got low and redirected the forehand down-the-line for a winner and I audibly gasped. This wasn’t the Keys we saw in 2017, or in 2023 — or ever. The next game, Keys got to championship point and on her second, she found the court for one last winner and finally, any criticism was silenced and she was a major champion.

What makes this win even more significant is the shifting narrative of women’s tennis in 2025. Are we finally out of the era of a singular dominant force? I’d argue that we’ve arrived at that stop quite some time ago. The sport is seeing a broader distribution of Grand Slam titles among a diverse landscape. It presents a refreshing change — one where mental fortitude and adaptability are just as important as physical prowess. Keys’ victory is also a symbol in a sport that constantly faces issues like equality, representation, and burnout. Her breakthrough is a testament to the resilience of athletes who, despite facing setbacks, can rise to the occasion and is a reminder there’s space for both the experienced and the next generation.

As Keys’ victory resonates across the tennis world, it becomes clear that the future is in the hands of multiple, dynamic athletes ready to challenge each other for the top spot. In the years to come, we will likely witness even more surprises, but Keys currently stands as the latest example of the diversity and depth now defining women’s tennis in 2025. Keys’ win at Melbourne Park is more than just another Grand Slam title, it’s another reminder that the sport remains unpredictable and wide open. That is what makes women’s tennis so exciting these days.

Even though she’s been a pro for fifteen years, Keys embodies the future of women’s tennis — bold, diverse, and ready to make its mark beyond the shadow of past legends. Her ability to claim the Australian Open suggests that the next decade of women’s tennis will be defined not by dominance from one or two players but by a collection of athletes like her, each capable of stunning victories and reshaping the narrative of the sport.

On to links!


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This Week in Women’s Tennis

Be sure to check out WTA Insider’s Champions Corner with Madison Keys, who stressed how therapy and accepting worth outside of Grand Slam glory actually led her to her brilliant run.

Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova outlasted Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko to win their second Grand Slam as a duo, while Olivia Gadecki claimed her first major partnering with John Peers to win the mixed doubles over J.P. Smith and Kimberly Birrell.

Wakana Sonobe became the first Japanese player to win the junior Girl’s Singles event, while the doubles event was captured by Annika and Kristina Penikova of the United States.

Wang Ziying and Li Xiaohui made history in the wheelchair division by teaming up to win their country’s first Grand Slam. Yui Kamiji emerged as the winner of the singles division.

Did you have Lil Wayne and Jackie Chan as your big women’s tennis stans on your bingo card?

If you’re in the Chicago (or Champaign) area from February 7-11, be sure to check out the ITA Division I Women’s National Team Indoor Championship. Sixteen of the top women’s college programs will be battling it out, including defending champion Oklahoma State and No. 1 Georgia.

The media was an unfortunate loser at this year’s Australian Open, but was it a one-off or a preview of tides changing in the game?

Nicole Pratt was honored with the WTA’s Georgina Clark Mother Award, handed to a former player “who’ve made a significant contribution to the culture and emotional life of the WTA family — improving the sport and helping those less fortunate in the wider community.”

Eva Lys is me, lolz:

In unsurprising news, Goran Ivanisevic shared he’s parted ways with Elena Rybakina following their short trial Down Under.

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be moving to Shenzhen, China through 2027 in a move that I’m sure will pay the teams competing handsomely.

Something to keep an eye in future Australian Opens is the possibility of a Saturday start, taking a Grand Slam to a third weekend for the first time.

Aryna Sabalenka might be No. 1 in the world, but it hasn’t meant the huge endorsements other top-ranked players have received in the past, so she’s moved on from IMG to Evolve.

In ranking news, Madison Keys and Paula Badosa re-enter the Top 10, while Iga Swiatek aims to reclaim the top spot from Aryna Sabalenka.

The Tennis Lab in Melbourne is pretty darn cool and was something I wanted to check out when Down Under last year, but they (obviously) shut down during the Australian Open.


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Tweet of the Week


Five at The IX: Australian Open final weekend

Q. I know you have nothing to compare it to, but where you sit now, given this journey that you’ve been on in order to get here, can you reflect at all about how it feels having gone through all that and to get to the top of the mountain this way rather than maybe if it had happened eight years ago? I’m curious, the classic idea of does it make it all worthwhile?

MADISON KEYS: I think everything kind of happens for a reason. I think for me specifically, I kind of had to go through some tough things. I think it just kind of forced me to look at myself in the mirror a little bit and try to work on, like, kind of just internal pressure that I was putting on myself.

I felt like from a pretty young age, I felt like if I never won a Grand Slam, then I wouldn’t have lived up to what people thought I should have been. That was a pretty heavy burden to kind of carry around.

So I finally got to the point where I was proud of myself and proud of my career, with or without a Grand Slam. I finally got to the point where I was okay if it didn’t happen. I didn’t need it to feel like I had a good career or that I deserved to be talked about as a great tennis player.

I feel like finally letting go of that kind of internal talk that I had just gave me the ability to actually go out and play some really good tennis to actually win a Grand Slam.

Q. On that point, you mentioned that you weren’t somebody that wanted to be outside of their comfort zone. With going to therapy, was there a particular prompt or moment that made you think why not give it a chance or things had become so difficult, you thought you needed it?

MADISON KEYS: I think in the past I had done it before, but it had always been I think too sports-specific. I kind of always went in with the thought of, Will this help me perform better? I finally got to the point where I was personally low enough that I was like, I don’t really care if this helps me perform, I just want to feel better.

I think doing that, it was just kind of that moment where it was like, I don’t really care what I have to do, I just want to feel better. So I think it was kind of the thing that it pushes you to say, Okay, well, obviously whatever I’m doing, is not working.

I think for a long time in my head I had this idea that people were able to kind of just ignore their nerves or doubts or anything like that and just kind of tunnel vision play tennis.

In the past, if I ever had nerves come up or something, I typically would not play as well. So it started getting to the point where when nerves came up, I was thinking, Oh, no, now I’m going to play badly. It would almost kind of start this internal panic.

For whatever reason, it was kind of just like this light bulb moment where I started really buying into, I can be nervous and I can still play good tennis. Like, those things can live together.

So I stopped fighting trying to push away the feelings and pretending that they’re not there and just accepting them and really telling myself that they’re fine and they’re totally normal to be there, and I can still play tennis.

I think doing that day in and day out and just kind of accepting that it’s going to be uncomfortable, you’re going to be nervous, there’s going to be thousands of people watching you, but you can still do it, and then starting to actually be able to do that just kind of started to give me more confidence.

Q. Taylor, you mentioned about Madison Keys, watching her win last night. Obviously you’ve been through a lot in your career, but just seeing her come full circle and win, how was that? Also, I don’t know if you saw what she said afterwards about how once she’d accepted she may never win a Grand Slam, it freed her up and all that sort of journey that she’s been through. How great is that to see?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Oh, man, I was almost in tears. Like, I was choked up because when I was down at USTA, I was spending every weekend at Madison’s house. I was spending the night at her house multiple times. She introduced me to country music and took me through a country phase (laughing).

But we spent so much time together. We shared a coach for a year and a half. So I spent a lot of time with her, and we developed a really close relationship.

You know, what I thought about was during I think it was at the French when she hurt herself and had to pull out, and I saw her in the locker room, and I just hugged her. She cried on my shoulder, and I’m, like, It’s going to be okay, it’s going to be okay.

It’s times in those moments where you don’t know what’s going to happen, and she thought she tore a hamstring, and it was just a lot of uncertainty. So for me, like, as a friend, I’m just so genuinely happy because you see people overcome certain things, and you see people go through things.

To know that they put their head down and just work, and just you hope for the best. I just can’t even put into words how happy I am, and it inspired me. I look at Madison and all the things that she’s been through.

When she played Sloane in 2017, it was two women of color in the finals that weren’t Venus and Serena. Even her being a woman of color winning here, and me as well, I just think that it’s so inspiring. To be able to have little girls and boys looking at us, this is history in the making. I think something so special.

I can’t even put into words how happy I am for her. You know, the first is always so great, and it’s like kind of a relief. She’s been close before, and I can attest to that feeling in doubles, as I was speaking about at Wimbledon. It is different, but it’s not. In singles as well, getting over the hump is getting over the hump no matter what.

I have so much love for her. Being able to see her tie the knot. I went to her wedding in Charleston, and being able to share that moment with her off-court and just see the success on-court, you know, it’s priceless. I’m just so happy.

Yeah, definitely both of our names etched in this book for the years to come, and that’s special.

Q. Just wanted to get your take on where doubles is at. John, obviously you might look at doubles a bit differently to you, Olivia, different stage of your career. I know you’re playing with Jamie in the men’s doubles. John, who has some views on where doubles should be, where do you think it is at now, John, and Olivia, how do you look at doubles, but maybe John first?

JOHN PEERS: Do you mean in terms of Australia tennis?

Q. The tour generally, the interest in it and what it needs to do to stay relevant.

JOHN PEERS: I think there’s a great place for doubles. If you go around the year, a lot of the times we’re playing in front of packed crowds consistently week in, week out.

I think if we can continue to grow the game as a whole – singles, doubles, mixed – it’s good for the game. If we keep growing the game as a whole, it’s only good for everybody.

My biggest thought is, whether we like it or not, we’re competing against other sports and other entertainment. If any stone is left unturned from a tennis perspective, that’s not good for tennis as a whole and the next generation coming through, because whether we like it or not, we’ll hopefully continue to grow this great sport, because I know personally for me it’s given me so many opportunities.

I hope the next generation can have so many more opportunities, and we leave it in a better place for them coming forward. That’s probably the biggest thing for me going forward.

We’re always fighting for the eyes of that next spectator that they’re either watching on TV, on their phone, on iPads, whatever it is. We’re trying to get that set of eyes to watch tennis. Our challenge is how do we continue to grow the game so it’s better for everyone.

OLIVIA GADECKI: It’s a little bit hard for me. I’m pretty much just starting my career, and I haven’t really been around that long.

But you know, I love playing doubles. I do prioritize my singles at a moment, but any chance I get to play doubles, I’m there. I would like it to keep growing and to keep being promoted. I think it’s great for everyone, player or even spectator. Yeah, I’m all for it.

Q. You won 20 matches in a row here in Melbourne. How proud are you of what you have done over this time?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I’m super proud. As I was saying before these finals, the thing that I was able to achieve that many wins in a row at one Grand Slam, that’s crazy. That’s already something, you know?

Anyway, when someone else going to achieve the same, they’re going to say the last player who was able to achieve, they’re going to say my name. It’s already something big.

I’m just trying to stay positive right now, find something good (smiling), but that’s crazy. I couldn’t even dream, couldn’t even think about that, like, few years ago that I’d be able to win that many matches in the row at one slam.

There is definitely something to be proud of and something I definitely have to improve and be better at. It’s always a process of these things to be proud and then to improve some stuff, which didn’t work well.


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Written by Joey Dillon