• [Daily Mirror Icon]
• Sport
• Tennis
• Madison Keys

Madison Keys bursting into tears speaks volumes before Iga Swiatek win at Australian Open

Madison Keys broke down into tears when she was dumped out of the US Open by Aryna Sabalenka in 2023, fearing she would never reach another Grand Slam final

[Keys]

View Image

Madison Keys is into the Australian Open final(Image: Getty)

Australian Open finalist Madison Keys was reduced to tears when she exited the 2023 US Open at the semi-final stage, perhaps fearing she'd never have another chance at a major win.

Keys triumphed over WTA No. 2 Iga Swiatek in a three-set match on Thursday, setting up a final showdown with Aryna Sabalenka. The 29-year-old has had a successful yet challenging tournament in Melbourne and caps off a stellar effort with a showpiece place.

She defeated top-10 seeds Danielle Collins, Elena Rybakina and No. 28 seed Elina Svitolina before her face-off with five-time major champion Swiatek. Despite being an underdog, she didn't let it affect her performance.

The American made a comeback after losing the first set 7-5, securing a 6-1 set win and prevailing 7-6 in a third set 10-8 tiebreak to secure her place in Saturday's final. However, back in 2023, when she was defeated by the same opponent she'll be facing in Rod Laver Arena this weekend, Keys' tears suggested she believed her days of reaching major finals might have been over.

Notably, the gap between Keys' first major final, which took place in New York in 2017, and her current achievement is the longest in the Open Era, highlighting her struggle.

Prior to her victory over the world number 2, Keys had lost five of her previous six semi-finals, including the 2023 heartbreak, in which she surprised Sabalenka by taking the first set 6-0, only to lose both the second and third in gruelling tiebreaks, reports the Express.

After suffering a heart-wrenching defeat, US star Keys was visibly disappointed and saddened during her post-match press conference.

Faced with the question of what's next after repeated Grand Slam setbacks, Keys couldn't hold back her emotions about the challenge ahead.

"I think everyone at the start of the tournament would be really excited to be in the semis," she admitted. "Right now, it sucks," her voice trailed off as Keys fought back tears while reflecting on her journey.

"But, yeah, I just think being able to take this and turn it into a positive is really possible..." The emotional moment culminated with Keys sobbing and cradling her head in her hands, trying to find solace in the idea. There's a lot to be proud of."

Fast forward to 2025, and such a scene has been contrasted sharply as Keys was pictured wiping away tears of joy on the court, overwhelmed with reaching her first Australian Open final.

[Daily Mirror Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.