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Sabalenka Falls Short of History, Loses Australian Open Final to Keys

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Aryna Sabalenka reflected on her Australian Open final defeat to Madison Keys, saying she's already looking forward to next year's tournament.



Aryna Sabalenka expressed pride in reaching her third consecutive Australian Open final, despite ultimately falling short against Madison Keys. The world number one and two-time defending champion was favored to win, but Keys claimed a 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 victory to secure her first Grand Slam title. Sabalenka's defeat ended her bid to become the first woman in 26 years to win three straight Melbourne Park singles crowns. “I think when you get to the point of finals, it's trophy or nothing. Nobody remembers the (losing) finalist,” Sabalenka said.


Sabalenka's Mindset: Titles Are the Ultimate Goal

As the reigning US Open champion, Sabalenka's focus is squarely on winning titles. While she acknowledged that reaching three consecutive Australian Open finals is a remarkable achievement, she emphasized that her ultimate goal is to claim the championship. “I mean, at this point, I go for titles,” she said. “But of course I have to be anyway proud of myself with three finals in a row. That's something crazy.” Sabalenka is already looking ahead to next year's tournament, hoping to return as an even stronger player and claim the title once again. “I hope that next year I'll come back as a better player and I'll hold Daphne (the trophy) one more time.”


Sabalenka Gracious in Defeat, Acknowledges Keys' Aggressive Play

Despite her disappointment, Sabalenka was gracious in defeat, praising Keys' aggressive play throughout the match. ”She was super aggressive in the first set,” Sabalenka noted. “And then she played with nothing to lose, which is always tough to play against.” Sabalenka struggled to control her emotions immediately after the match, smashing her racquet and burying her head in a towel. “There definitely was a bit of frustration because I was so close to achieving something crazy,” she admitted.


Sabalenka Releases Frustration, Reflects on Emotional Response

Sabalenka acknowledged that she needed to release her negative emotions after the match in order to compose herself and give a respectful speech. “When you're out there, you're fighting, but it seems like everything is going not the way you really want to go,” she reflected. “I just needed to throw those negative emotions at the end just so I could give a speech, not stand there being disrespectful.”



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