It has been over seven years since Madison Keys crushed CoCo Vandeweghe in the 2017 US Open semifinal. Sloane Stephens defeated her close friend in the final, and it seemed like Keys might never get another opportunity to play in a Grand Slam final after suffering some heartbreaking moments in the years that followed. Instead, Keys withstood those setbacks to reach the 2025 Australian Open final.
The Incredible Story of Madison Keys’ Resilience
Coming Close in 2018
Keys’ loss in the US Open final did not lead to an immediate decline. She began 2018 by reaching the Australian Open quarterfinal, losing to Angelique Kerber. Keys then progressed to the French Open and US Open semifinals, beating players like Naomi Osaka and Dominika Cibulkova. The American’s hopes of reaching another Major final were thwarted by Stephens again at the French Open and Osaka at the US Open.
While those defeats were disappointing, Keys’ was still performing at a high level to reach those stages. Just 23-years-old at the end of the 2018 season, her powerful brand of tennis seemed destined to reach the the most significant stage in tennis again. However, coming close and not making it in those semifinals in 2018 might have impacted her more than most realized.
Decline in the Next few Years
2019 contained some high points for Keys, including winning her first WTA 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open and a run to the French Open quarterfinal. But that performance in Paris was as close as she came for the next few years to another Major final. The former US Open finalist’s level declined sharply in 2020 and 2021. She failed to reach another Grand Slam quarterfinal during those seasons and did not make a WTA Final at any level for two years after finishing as the runner-up to Karolina Pliskova at the Brisbane International in January 2020.
Keys’ lack of confidence during that period was evident. Her powerful serve and formidable groundstrokes did not have the conviction of a few years earlier. By the end of 2021, the then-26-year-old had dropped out of the Top 50, and it was uncertain whether she would ever return to her past level.
Resurgence And Heartbreak in 2022 and 2023
After the previous few seasons, Keys’ run to the 2022 Australian Open semifinal surprised many. She defeated the French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova in the quarterfinal with some trademark blistering hitting. However, Keys only won four games in the semifinal against Ashleigh Barty. While overcoming Barty would always be a significant challenge, the American was below her best in that match.
Keys performed much better in the 2023 US Open semifinal, but that only made her eventual defeat more heartbreaking. Keys served for a place in the final against Aryna Sabalenka at 6-0 5-4 up, but ultimately succumbed to a devastating 6-0 6-7 6-7 loss that led to her crying in a post-match press conference.
Although Keys had good results outside the Grand Slams in 2024, she did not reach a major quarterfinal last year, and her chances of returning to a Grand Slam final looked slim.
Keys Gets Rewarded for Her Resilience at the Australian Open
Keys began 2025 excellently by beating Jessica Pegula in the Adelaide International final, but she was still not rated among the favorites for the Australian Open title. After winning in the opening two rounds, she defeated Danielle Collins, who was booed before the match because of her comments about the crowd after the second round. That was followed by a statement victory against the 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
The nine-time WTA title winner recovered from a set down to overcome Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinal. Keys faced Iga Swiatek, who had been the most in-form player in Melbourne, for a place in the final. The world No. 2 took the opening set 7-5, leaving her older opponent with a mountain to climb.
Rather than letting her head drop, Keys responded by playing some of the best tennis of her life. She saved a match point at 5-6 30-40 down on Swiatek’s serve and won the final three points in the deciding set tiebreak to triumph 5-7 6-1 7-6(8). It was one of the most memorable Australian Open semifinals in the tournament’s history.
Madison Keys will be the underdog again in Saturday’s final against the two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. Regardless of what happens, the likable American can be incredibly proud of the mental fortitude shown to reach the biggest stage for a second time.
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
