Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka takes part in a practice session on day thirteen of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 24, 2025, ahead of her women’s singles final match on January 25 against USA’s Madison Keys. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)
The irresistible force of Aryna Sabalenka meets the unbreakable spirit of Madison Keys on Saturday in an Australian Open women’s singles final that promises to be a thunderous slugfest.
Defending champion Sabalenka was hailed by beaten semi-finalist Paula Badosa as being so good it was “like she’s playing a PlayStation” after dishing out a merciless straight-sets bludgeoning to her good friend.
Article continues after this advertisementThe never-say-die American Keys, who will turn 30 next month, saved eight break points and a match point in a nerve-shredding final set against Iga Swiatek that went all the way to a 10-point tiebreak.
FEATURED STORIES SPORTS Sports world remembers Kobe Bryant, Gigi on anniversary of their deaths SPORTS PBA: TNT goes for No. 2 ranking SPORTS NBA: Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, coach 'don't have a relationship' READ: Australian Open: Aryna Sabalenka grinds down Badosa to reach final“Definitely some big-hitting. I think that is going to happen,” the powerful 19th seed Keys predicted of the final between two similar power players.
“Not a lot of long points.”
Article continues after this advertisementThe final on Rod Laver Arena begins at 7:30pm (0830 GMT).
Article continues after this advertisementKeys and Sabalenka have met five times previously, with the Belarusian winning four, most recently on Beijing’s hard courts last year. Keys’s sole win came on grass in Berlin in 2021.
Article continues after this advertisement“She’s playing incredible tennis,” said Sabalenka.
USA’s Madison Keys celebrates match point against Poland’s Iga Swiatek during their women’s singles semi-final match on day twelve of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 24, 2025. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)
“She’s a very aggressive player, serving well, moving well. She’s in great shape.
Article continues after this advertisement“It’s going to be a great battle.”
Sabalenka is guaranteed to remain at world number one because of Swiatek’s defeat, while Keys will break back into the top 10 for the first time since 2019.
A victory in the final will see Keys equal the career-high ranking of seven she reached in 2016.
Alexander said Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the EU caused “significant disruption” to its trade policy and the country needed to recalibrate its global trade outlook.
Comments from top Federal Reserve officials suggesting they would like to see a slower pace of rate cuts tempered hopes for another bumper cut at the bank’s next meeting, while Middle East worries pushed gold to a new record.
Both players are on 11-match win streaks after Sabalenka clinched the title in Brisbane and Keys followed suit in Adelaide.
READ: Australian Open: Madison Keys upsets Iga Swiatek to reach final Melbourne queenSabalenka, the modern-day queen of Melbourne Park, has won 20 straight matches on the famous blue hard courts. A 21st will complete a treble not witnessed this century.
The last three-peat in Melbourne was achieved by Martina Hingis in 1999 and only four other women have done it — Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.
Three in a row is a rare achievement at any Slam and has only been done this century on three occasions.
At Roland Garros Justine Henin completed the treble in 2007 and Iga Swiatek emulated it last year.
Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles but only managed a hat-trick once, at the US Open from 2012-14.
Sabalenka will be in her fifth Slam final, Keys in only her second, having lost the 2017 US Open final 6-3, 6-0 to Sloane Stephens.
“I’ve obviously thought of that match endlessly for the past eight years,” said Keys, who broke down in tears after beating Swiatek in a see-sawing contest that lasted 2hr 35min.
“I was so consumed with being nervous and the moment that I never really gave myself a chance to actually play.
“You can also play tennis through that… is one of the biggest lessons that I take from that US Open final.”
The men’s doubles title will also be decided on the penultimate day of action at Melbourne Park.
Italian third seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori will face sixth seeds Harri Heliovaara of Finland and Britain’s Henry Patten in the final.
Bolelli and Vavassori are contesting their second consecutive Melbourne final after losing to Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden a year ago.
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The men’s singles and women’s doubles titles will be decided on Sundaybetlead, the 15th and final day of the tournament.
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