Aryna Sabalenka threw her racket on the sideline. She sat on her bench with a towel over her head. She then even briefly walked off the court before the trophy ceremony when her bid for a third consecutive Australian Open championship ended with a 6-3,

Having already authored one surprising upset after another in the 2025 Australian Open, 19th-seeded American Madison Keys had one final stunning match left in her, taking down world No. 1 and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to win her first-ever major title.

Madison Keys stunned Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open women’s final to win her long-awaited first grand slam title while denying the World No 1 a historic ‘three-peat’. Keys halted Sabalenka’s winning run in Melbourne and triumphed in the battle of two big-hitters, winning 6-3 2-6 7-5 in a thrilling deciding set on the Rod Laver Arena.

A tense third set ended with the American lifting her first ever major, ending Sabalenka's dominance in Australia.

Madison Keys of the U.S. celebrates after defeating Iga Swiatek of Poland in their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, early Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) AP

Play has started in the Australian Open women’s final between Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys. Top-ranked Sabalenka is serving first after Keys won the coin toss and elected to receive on Saturday. Sabalenka hopes to do something no woman has in more than a quarter of a century: win a third consecutive singles champion at Melbourne Park.