Madison Keys made history on Thursday by reaching her first Australian Open final, pulling off a stunning upset against world number 2 Iga Swiatek with a score of 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8) at Rod Laver Arena. The match lasted a nail-biting two hours and 32 minutes. As the No. 19 seed, Keys saved a match point, marking her second Grand Slam final appearance, the first being at the 2017 US Open.

Keys found herself in a tough spot when Swiatek served for the match at 6-5 in the final set and was just a point away from victory at 40-30. However, Swiatek hit a backhand into the net, and then a double fault allowed Keys to break her serve, leading to a tiebreaker that required a first-to-10, win-by-two format.

The match kicked off with Keys taking control right away, breaking Swiatek in the very first game—something that hadn’t happened to the Pole since the first round. The first set turned into a back-and-forth battle with both players exchanging breaks, but Swiatek ultimately took it after 49 minutes with her second set point.

Despite her earlier success, Swiatek struggled in the second set, which saw a dramatic shift. Keys came back strong, breaking Swiatek four times and even serving three aces in a single game, pushing the match into a deciding third set where she saved a match point before clinching the win.

The American player is set to make a comeback into the top 10 of the WTA rankings, having racked up 11 straight wins since the season kicked off. This impressive streak includes her ninth career title, which she snagged in Adelaide just a week before the Melbourne Slam. It's her best run yet, surpassing her previous record of 10 consecutive wins back in 2022, when she also took home the Adelaide title before losing to Ashleigh Barty in the Australian Open semifinals.

Now, Keys is gearing up to take on two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final at Melbourne Park this Saturday. Sabalenka has the upper hand in their matchups, leading 4-1, with all her victories coming on hard courts, including two at Grand Slam events. Keys' lone win against the 26-year-old was in the second round of Berlin 2021 on grass.

Earlier that evening, world number one Sabalenka edged closer to making history by aiming to be the first woman since 1999 to win three Australian Open titles in a row. She overcame a slow start to defeat her good friend Paula Badosa with a score of 6-4, 6-2.

Read Also: Rishabh Pant's Humbling Moment: Fan Touches His Feet While Rohit Sharma Cheers Up Spectators

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!