Madison Keys is finally Grand Slam champion, fulfilling the destiny that had been drawn to him since he became professional at the early age of 14.
And by God who did it in the most difficult way. After saving a party point to overcome the number 2 in the world, IgA Swiatek, in the semifinals, Keys beat the world number 1, Aryna Sabalenka, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.
Keys, 29, had longed for this; I yearned for the validation of an important title that paralyzed it. He paralyzed her against Sloane Stephens in the 2017 US Open final and paralyzed her in New York when she lost a semifinal against Sabalenka after winning the first set 6-0.
But recently Keys has been able to leave it, realize that he has had an excellent career and can be proud of his efforts. In the end it turned out that, only when he stopped wishing him could extend his hand and take it.
Sabalenka has won and lost some important games in his career, but it has always been, as we say, “in his racket”: the fate of his party decided how many of his colossal blows they found his goal. But it was not so here. Here the 27 -year -old Belarusian was forced to spend much of the game running and hoping that his opponent will fail.
This was the clash of Titans, two of the most brutal batters in the game. Both women have characterized themselves in the past as a fingerless ball beating, but Sabalenka in recent years and Keys have more recently dominated their power.
Madison Keys is finally Grand Slam champion, fulfilling the destiny that had been drawn to him since he became professional at the early age of 14.
After saving a party point to overcome the number 2 in the world, IgA Swiatek, in the semifinals, Keys beat the world number 1, Aryna Sabalenka, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.
Keys had longed for this; I yearned for the validation of an important title that paralyzed it.
After Keys's spectacular victory over IGA Swiatek in the semifinals, which saved it party points, his coach and husband, Bjorn Fratangelo, said: “sharpening the ax can take you very far, but sometimes you only need new tools.” Keys began working with her husband last year and, with the help of a Wilson Racket change to Yonex, they have perfected their game.
Both players showed their variety of skills in a magnificent final full of touch and athletics and, yes, spooky power.
The last Slam of Keys was the 2017 US Open final against her close friend Sloane Stephens and was completely tied by nerves. He reached 2-2 on the first set and won only one game thereafter.
The 29 -year -old admitted that he had “thought of that game incessantly for the past eight years” and was clear from the beginning that would not be repeated.
Rather, it was the double defender Sabalenka who started nervous, committing two double faults in the first game to grant a break.
In 1-3, he committed a double foul to grant a breakdown and Keys cut a right-wing blow to the Sabalenka style that seized the court and bounced too low to drive it.
In the next game, Keys played an exceptional cross -updated shot, a note of pure poetry in the middle of heavy metal. Carlos Alcaraz would have been proud of such a shot and it was a weapon that simply was not in Keys's armory a year ago.
As Fratangelo said before the final: “sharpening the ax can take you far, but sometimes you only need new tools.” Well, that defensive right blow, sliding like a bird on water, was a new tool and that left was another.
If Keys needed any bulwark against complacency, then he could remember the semifinal of the US Open of 2023, when he lost to Sabalenka in a heartbreaking way after winning the first set 6-0.
What a merit for them to have been able to combine marital happiness with the stormy relationship between coach and player. Everything could have come out so badly; It matters little if a racket is Wilson or Yonex when your wife buries it in the skull.
Sabalenka returned to the set, increasing the speed of her ball.
With a service of 5-3, 30-30, Sabalenka was on the rise. A control here would have forced Keys to serve during the set after having lost three games in a row. But a fourth double foul chose the most inopportune moment to arrive and then Keys shot a setback in the line to take the set.
Sabalenka had at least achieved what Swiatek had not achieved in the second set of the semifinal: he had stopped hemorrhage, had established an obstacle of speed before the keys truck that moved.
She was missing some great opportunities in the first game of the second set, with the Keys service, dodging a shot and, at the break, scoring a simple pass.
“Come on Tigre, come on girl,” a voice said between the crowd and Sabalenka came forward and a winning setback was right. I was playing faster and more flat, forcing Keys to defend (something unlikely) or attack from less promising positions.
Sabalenka was going up the volume now, a roar of effort became a shout of triumph while throwing a shot to make a double break in the way to match the game.
Then there were two quite unilateral sets, and now we expected a decisive game. The exceptional service continued, with 10 follows and zero break points. Both women saw it as if it were an Australian football; Some of the shots left us breathless.
As the final stages approached, none of the women showed an apex of fear and faced the fat fish when it was available. The best of all came when Keys served with 5-5, 30-30, a high pressure point. Sabalenka threw a right -wing blow and Keys crouched down and threw a half volley in response that should have left brands of burns on the blue court.
That left Sabalenka with the service to stay in the match for the second time and Keys connected a first service for a clean reverse that put the 0-30 above. He attacked again with 15-30 and added two championship points.
A great Sabalenka service fell, then another, but this time Keys beat him and hit that setback in the line. He came back but there was no fear, no doubt, no nerves. That fierce right -wing coup that has been his presentation card since his adolescence hit once; He hit twice and ended.
More to continue …