Australian Open 2025 recaps: Madison Keys shocks the world to reach the final

Madison Keys looked done. She was battling Iga Swiatek in the semifinals of the 2025 Australian Open, and the Pole had had a dominant run to get to the semis. She had lost just seven games total in her pervious four matches and was trying to win one of the Grand Slams that had alluded her so far. She seemed destined to face Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Swiatek took a commanding lead over Keys in the first set, leading 5-2. The Pole had been broken, snapping a streak of 31 straight holds, but she also did not appear on the brink of being upset by the American. Then things fell apart for Swiatek a bit.

Keys battled back to 5-6, but Swiatek still took the set. In the second set, Keys overpowered the Pole and played possibly the best set of her long career. The American evened the match taking the second set 6-1. That set the stage for a fantastic third set that reached a tie-break.

Madison Keys will play Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final of the 2025 Australian Open

Keys even managed to fight off a match point in the third set. She showed the kind of power that is going to give any opponent fits as well as Keys is currently playing. Still, as in-form as she is, there is little doubt her defeating Swiatek was a shock. The American is 29 years old, has never won a Grand Slam before (she made a final in 2017 at the US Open, and has won only one Masters event.

She has always been a good player when healthy but never great. That is until her run at the 2025 Australian Open.

The final might be even more difficult for Keys, however. She will play Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian destroyed Paula Badosa in straight sets in the other semifinal, and Sabalenka has won the last two Australian Opens.

She also knows she will hold on to her WTA No. 1 ranking as she pushed through to the final while Swiatek lost. Keys is also a winner in the rankings, though. She will be as high as No. 8 when the new rankings are revealed next week. Her career high is No. 7.

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