Australian Open 2026: Jessica Pegula vs. Madison Keys Preview, Prediction, and Live Stream Details
Jessica Pegula to face Madison Keys for the fourth on tour at the Australian Open.
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Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys (via X/Madison Keys/Tennis Channel)
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Jessica Pegula has been in red-hot form at the 2026 Australian Open. The American star has yet to drop a set at the tournament and has lost just one match this season, which came at the Brisbane International. She will face Grand Slam champion Madison Keys in the fourth round, an all-American clash in Melbourne.
Keys, who won the Australian Open last year, has not reached a tour-level final twelve months later. Currently the ninth seed, Keys has not dropped a set in Melbourne, and she’s currently playing her best tennis in a long while. She has beaten Pegula in their last two encounters, including the 2025 Adelaide International, where she won the title in three sets.
Jessica Pegula vs. Madison Keys: Match Details
- Venue: Melbourne Park
- Time: TBD
- Round: Fourth round
- Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
- Date: January 26, 2026
- Tournament: Australian Open 2026
- Match: Jessica Pegula vs. Madison Keys
Jessica Pegula vs. Madison Keys: Match Preview
Jessica Pegula ended the 2025 campaign with a semi-final exit at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, losing to eventual champion Elena Rybakina. She maintained her position in the top 8 of the WTA rankings, being the oldest player there. She kicked off the new season in Brisbane and reached the semi-finals before losing to Marta Kostyuk.
In Melbourne, she overcame Anastasia Zakharova 6-2, 6-1 in the first round. In the second round, she impressively defeated her doubles partner, McCartney Kessler, in straight sets. Both players had lost their doubles opening match. After that, Pegula beat Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 in the third round.
On the other hand, Madison Keys failed to continue with the form she enjoyed in Australia, winning the Melbourne Grand Slam and Adelaide. The 30-year-old finished the year at the WTA Finals without winning a match in Riyadh. In 2026, she failed to reach the final of either the Brisbane International or Adelaide.
In Melbourne, she has shown brilliance and has impressed. She defeated Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-6(6), 6-1 in the first round of the Australian Open. The ninth seed then beat Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 7-5 before going on to beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-3 in the third round to reach the second week of the Grand Slam tournament.
Jessica Pegula vs Madison Keys: Match Prediction
Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys have often spoken about their friendship on and off the court. In fact, they co-founded a podcast and have been recording episodes during their spare time at the Australian Open. The match will be a test of their friendship as one of them must leave the court as the winner when they clash in the fourth round.
Pegula and Keys have met three times on the court but have not played against each other since January 2025. Keys leads their head-to-head record 2-1, winning their last two meetings on the court, including their 2025 Adelaide International final. However, Pegula has been in better form in the past six months than Keys.
The World No.6 is seeking to win her first Grand Slam title on tour and will be eager to achieve that at the Australian Open. Her best Grand Slam run came at the US Open in 2024, where she finished as runners-up after losing the title to Aryna Sabalenka. The winner between Pegula and Keys is likely to face Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals, which will be another all-American clash in Melbourne.
Match Prediction: Jessica Pegula to win the match in three sets.
Jessica Pegula vs. Madison Keys: Live Stream Details
- India – SONY
- USA – ESPN, Tennis Channel
- UK – TNT Sports
- Canada – TSN, RDS
- Australia – Nine, Stan. Sports
- New Zealand– SKY
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