Madison Keys shares key advice to Alexander Zverev ahead of his Australian Open final against Jannik Sinner
Alexander Zverev is searching for his first Grand Slam title and will be squaring off against Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open final.
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Jannik Sinner, Madison Keys, Alexander Zverev (Images via AUSOpen/X)
Madison Keys turned pro in 2009 and had to wait for more than a decade to lift her first Grand Slam title. Alexander Zverev turned pro in 2013, and now he too has a chance to fulfill his Grand Slam dream.
Keys, after knocking out Grand Slam champions Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek, further upset World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final with scores of 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 on Saturday (January 25).
And on Sunday, Zverev will be locking horns with World No.1 Jannik Sinner in the final, which is expected to be no less than a five-set battle. The 2025 Australian Open women’s champion, now devoid of any stress, has advice for the 27-year-old German that could help him beat the defending champion.
I feel like he has better advice to beat Jannik than I do. But, I mean, I think at some point it’s really just kind of letting go of the stress of…will I ever win one? And not really worrying about it and just playing tennis.
Madison Keys said at the press conference
Before this final, Zverev had reached two Grand Slam finals, in the 2020 US Open and the 2024 French Open, losing to Dominic Thiem and Carlos Alcaraz, respectively. Keys too had come close to her first major when she progressed to the 2017 US Open.
Alexander Zverev explains if walkover from Novak Djokovic could affect his rhythm
Before scheduling the final match against Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, in the semifinal, locked horns with Novak Djokovic, who was chasing his 11th Australian Open and his 25th Grand Slam title.
But right after the first set, Djokovic retired from the match due to a muscle tear on his left leg. Zverev said the walkover from Djokovic wouldn’t affect his rhythm because they played a high level of tennis in the first set which Zverev had won 7-6(5).
I repeat that I think the first set was of a very good level. So I still played tennis. It is not as if he had withdrawn and I had four days without playing. There, it would probably have been too much, it would have been like starting another tournament and you do not want to feel that before a final, you want to be in the rhythm.
Alexander Zverev said at the press conference
Zverev has faced Sinner six times, winning four of those matches, but registered his second defeat when they met in the semifinal of the 2024 Cincinnati Masters, which Sinner won later.
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Gouri Das
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