Madison Keys has unlocked her biggest moment at the Australian Open! The American is making her debut in the Happy Slam’s final today, aiming to halt Aryna Sabalenka’s quest for a third consecutive title in Melbourne. This success came after a year marred by injuries. But she started 2025 on a high note as she clinched the Adelaide International title and has now made her second Grand Slam final. What’s behind this resurgence? Some say it’s all in the details—like her game-changing decision to switch rackets. Find out how it even stunned an ex-American pro.

This will be Keys’ second Grand Slam final, seven years after her first at the 2017 US Open, where she lost to fellow American Sloane Stephens. Now 29, Keys has re-emerged as a serious contender after years of inconsistent results that made it seem like her Grand Slam window had closed. Last year was a tough one for the 29-year-old player. A shoulder injury forced her to withdraw from the 2024 Australian Open. In July, while leading her fourth-round match against Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon, she suffered a hamstring injury and had to retire despite holding a 5-2 lead in the third set. But everything shifted in 2025, thanks to a critical adjustment guided by her husband and coach, Bjorn Fratangelo.

Keys made a surprising decision during the off-season: switching from the Wilson racket she had used for nearly 20 years to a Yonex model. Such a change is rare, especially for a player so deep into her career. Former pro-Steve Johnson explained in his podcast ‘Nothing Major‘ how this risky move has paid off for the Australian Open finalist as he recapped the semi-final and made predictions about the final with co-host Sam Querrey.

“I think one of the interesting things is that we, as players, know this, but most people don’t realize it—Maddie switched from a racket she had been using for probably 15 to 20 years. She’s been using the same Wilson racket, and now she’s switched to a Yonex. That’s a very hard change to make. Sometimes it takes players a while to adjust, but it’s taken her absolutely no time. She’s won a title and reached the final here. I’m glad it’s worked out for her,” the former World No. 16 said.

The 29-year-old player’s loyalty to her Wilson Blade Pro racket spanned nearly her entire career. But during an exhibition match with Sloane Stephens in December, Keys debuted a blacked-out Yonex Ezone. Veteran agent Max Eisenbud was initially skeptical when he heard about the switch. However, Fratangelo believed in the change, and it’s already paying dividends.

Keys explained her decision to WTA Tour, emphasizing how the Yonex racket has given her more control.“It just feels like I have the ability to kind of maneuver things a little bit easier,” she said. “I felt like in the past using my equipment, it was always either really good or really bad. I had a really hard time on days where I wasn’t really feeling it. Being able to tweak things, it felt really difficult to do that. This, I feel like I have a little bit more control over the average days and being able to find a happy medium.”

But the racket isn’t the only change the American tennis star has made.

Madison Keys reveals how a changed serve has elevated her game

Madison Keys also reworked her serve, a weapon she’s relied on for years. This adjustment, too, came under the guidance of Fratangelo, who had to “drag her kicking and screaming” to make the change.

Keys explained that her previous serve motion had become too safe, which limited her effectiveness on first-serve points.“It was almost too high, to where I was playing it a little bit safe, but my first-serve points won wasn’t as high as it should be,” she shared with WTA Tour.

The goal of the adjustment was to reduce stress on her shoulder and hamstring, areas where she’s previously dealt with injuries. The process wasn’t easy, though.“It took a while for me to be OK to serve at 62% or 58%. That was kind of the hard thing for me—just getting to the point of going for it more and getting more free points is actually better than making every single first serve. Stats definitely helped me there, and it kind of took me out of how I was feeling and put me into a little bit more of a reality,” the American tennis player said.

Madison Keys’ willingness to adapt, both with her equipment and her serve, has been a key factor in her stunning resurgence. Can her revamped game help her claim her first Grand Slam title today?