Australian Open champion Madison Keys reveals how ‘this’ legend’s outfit inspired her to become tennis player
Madison Keys turned pro in 2009 and lifted her first Major when she beat Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open.
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Madison Keys (Image via X)
Madison Keys stunned the tennis world when she overcame World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final. Sabalenka was chasing history at Melbourne Park as she was bidding to become the first player since Martina Hingis to achieve a three-peat in the tournament.
Keys denied her that to win her first-ever Grand Slam title. The coveted trophy eluded her for more than a decade. She turned pro in 2009 and advanced to her first Grand Slam final at the 2017 US Open but was defeated by Sloane Stephens.
After fulfilling her dream, Keys recalled the time she was fascinated by the outfit Venus Williams wore which inspired her to pick up tennis racket for her career. Keys was born in 1995, a year after Williams turned pro.
I started when I was four years old. I was walking through my parents’ bedroom. Venus Williams was on TV and I said, ‘I really like this tennis dress.’ I didn’t know what tennis was, nobody in my family played. I said, ‘I want the outfit.’ My mom said, ‘We’ll get you the outfit, but you have to play sports.’
Madison Keys said on CBS Mornings
After her successful run at the Adelaide International and the Australian Open, Keys was denied entry into the ATX Open in Austin, Texas. The reason is only one player among the Top 10 is allowed to play the WTA 250 category events.
Keys’ performance in the two WTA events Down Under helped her rankings as she got back to No.7. But before her, countrywoman and World No.6 Jessica Pegula had signed up for the event.
Madison Keys broke plethora of records after Australian Open win
Madison Keys scripted history on Saturday (January 25) when she became the first American to clinch the Australian Open in five years. The 29-year-old also became the fourth-oldest woman to win a Major for the first time.
Keys is just the third woman to beat the World No.1 and World No.2 and save a match point before winning the Australian Open. The win at Melbourne Park also made Keys the third player in the Open Era to win five three-setters before winning the Grand Slam title.
The two women who did this before her were, Serena Williams (2015) and Jelena Ostapenko (2017). En route to her successful run, Keys fended off an unseeded Elena-Gabriela Ruse, before knocking out 2023 Australian Open finalist Elena Rybakina and then Elina Svitolina.
Keys then denied World No.2 Iga Swiatek a chance to win her maiden title at Melbourne Park in the semifinals. The fifth three-setter was her final against Aryna Sabalenka.
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Gouri Das
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