Serena Williams Praises Madison Keys’ Historic Australian Open Win

Serena Williams has shared her admiration for Madison Keys after the American won her first Australian Open title on Saturday, defeating defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling three-set match.

Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, posted a heartfelt message on social media, congratulating Keys for her remarkable achievement. “We just saw Madison Keys, congrats to her for winning the Australian Open. She’s such an amazing player. I got to play her a lot, and now she’s won the Australian Open,” Williams said in a video shared on X.

Keys’ victory was not only historic for the 29-year-old but also saw her break and match several long-standing records, many of which were held by Williams herself.

Williams, who has won seven Australian Open titles, praised Keys’ commitment to her career. “She’s awesome. She invested in her career, into tennis, and into being the best she could be,” Williams added.

Keys has been on the WTA tour for 10 years, overcoming numerous setbacks at Grand Slam events, including a crushing defeat in the 2017 US Open final and a semi-final loss to Sabalenka at the 2023 US Open.

Keys’ win in 2025 made her the first woman since Williams in 2005 to defeat both the world No.1 and No.2 players on her way to an Australian Open title.

Williams highlighted how Keys’ hard work and dedication have paid off: “Today she proved she’s one of the best in the world by winning the Australian Open.”

Keys’ victory was a career milestone, with her becoming the fourth-oldest woman to win her first Grand Slam title. She shared her joy after the match, saying, “I’m so happy to have finally won here. This is where I made my first Grand Slam semi-final, and now I’m standing here as a champion.”

Despite dealing with injuries in 2024, which kept her out of the Australian Open and Wimbledon, Keys made some changes to her game for the new year. She switched to a new racquet, on the advice of her coach and now husband, Bjorn Fratangelo, and felt the change contributed to her success.

“I don’t know exactly why I like this racquet, but when I picked it up, it felt right, and that was the winner,” Keys explained.

Serena Williams’ praise of Keys is a testament to the younger American’s perseverance, proving that, at 29, it is never too late to achieve greatness.