What's at stake in the Australian Open final between Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys | Tennis News - The Times of India

What’s at stake in the Australian Open final between Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys | Tennis News – The Times of India

Posted by author January 24, 2025 Tennis

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Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka (AP Photo)

MELBOURNE: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka’s pursuit of a third consecutive Australian Open title will face a challenge from No. 14 Madison Keys. Both players are currently on 11-match winning streaks and are set to clash in the final on Saturday.
Sabalenka and Keys entered the first major of the year as two of the season’s standout players, each having secured titles in the warm-up events before Melbourne.
Sabalenka kicked off her season by winning the Brisbane International, while Keys triumphed at the Adelaide International, defeating Jessica Pegula.

Sabalenka boasts an unblemished record of 11-0 this year, and Keys has also won her last 11 matches, marking the longest winning streak of her career.

Road to the final for Aryna Sabalenka

As the No. 1 seed at a Grand Slam for the first time, Sabalenka has dropped only one set throughout her six matches. That lone setback occurred during a windy quarter-final against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, which she overcame to secure a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory.
Besides that, Sabalenka has recorded wins against Sloane Stephens, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Clara Tauson, Mirra Andreeva, and delivered her most impressive performance in the semifinals with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Paula Badosa.
Since winning her first Australian Open title in 2023, Sabalenka has reached the finals of the last five hard-court Grand Slams. She joins an elite group of five players in the Open Era to achieve this, alongside Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, and Martina Hingis.

Road to the final for Madison Keys

Keys has fought through four three-set matches to reach her second Grand Slam final, including a match-point saving effort against No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the semis. In the contest that lasted over 2 hours and 35 minutes, Keys showcased her powerful forehand to fend off Swiatek, winning 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(8).
This victory marked her third win over a Top-10 seed in the tournament, having previously defeated No. 10 Danielle Collins and No. 6 Elena Rybakina. Keys also faced a tough challenge in the quarterfinals, needing nearly two hours to defeat Elina Svitolina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Milestones to be achieved

Sabalenka is aiming for a historic three-peat at the Australian Open, a feat last accomplished by Hingis from 1997 to 1999. A victory would also give her a fourth Grand Slam title.
If successful, Sabalenka would become the first woman to win three consecutive hard-court Grand Slam titles this century, following Hingis, who won the 1997 Australian Open, the 1997 US Open, and the 1998 Australian Open. Only three women in the Open Era have achieved three consecutive hard-court majors, and Sabalenka could join Graf, Seles, and Hingis in this exclusive club.
On the other hand, Keys is vying to become the first first-time Grand Slam singles champion since Coco Gauff at the 2023 US Open. This would be her second title of the season and her tenth overall.
Having already defeated No. 2 Swiatek, Keys aims to become the first player to beat both the World No. 1 and No. 2 in a Grand Slam since Svetlana Kuznetsova at the 2009 Roland Garros and the first at the Australian Open since Serena Williams in 2005.

Head-to-Head record

Sabalenka has won four of their five previous encounters, with Keys’ only victory coming in three sets on grass in Berlin in 2021.
Their most significant match, though often cited by both players, was the dramatic 2023 US Open semi-final, where Keys led 6-0, 5-3 before Sabalenka staged a comeback to win 0-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(5).

What time is the Australian Open women’s final?

The 2025 Australian Open women’s singles final will take place on Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, January 25 at 2pm IST (7:30 pm local time, 3:30 am ET).

Madison Keys (AP Photo)

How much prize money is at stake?

The winner of the 2025 Australian Open will pocket $3,500,000. Both Sabalenka and Keys have already earned $1.9 million by getting this far.

How many ranking points will both earn?

The winner will earn 2,000 points and the runner-up will get 1300 points. By making the final, Sabalenka is assured of keeping her spot as the World No. 1.
Madison Keys, meanwhile, has assured her return to the Top-10 for the first time since 2023. If she wins, the American would better her career-high ranking of No.7, which she achieved in 2016.