Jessica Pegula brags about correctly predicting Madison Keys' Australian Open title before start of tournament

Jessica Pegula bragged about correctly predicting that Madison Keys would win the 2025 Australian Open title before the tournament even began. Keys, who had never won a Grand Slam title before, secured the title at the Melbourne Major by defeating two-time defending champion, Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Prior to beginning her campaign at the Australian Open, Keys participated in the 2025 Adelaide International. She kicked off her campaign by defeating Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2, 6-1, and then went on to beat eighth seed Jelena Ostapenko 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the first and second rounds, respectively.

The former World No.7 then triumphed over third seed Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals. She secured her spot in the final after her semifinals opponent, Liudmila Samsonova, retired due to an abdominal injury during the third set of their match.

In the championship match, Keys defeated compatriot Jessica Pegula 6–3, 4–6, 6–1 to claim the women's singles tennis title at the 2025 Adelaide International, her ninth career WTA Tour singles title.

After her loss to Madison Keys in Adelaide, Pegula had predicted that Keys would win the Australian Open if she continued to play as she did in the final of the WTA 500 hard court tournament. The 29-year old went on to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 at the Australian Open final to claim her first Grand Slam trophy.

“Jessica Pegula told Rennae Stubbs pre-tournament: “If Madison Keys plays half as good as she did against me in the third set of the Adelaide Final, she will win the title” Well…," the post read.

Reacting to Madison Keys' win and her correct prediction, Jessica Pegula boasted that she had foreseen Keys' victory all along.

“This is true. I kinda told everyone tbh 😂 ," Pegula posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Madison Keys was seeded 19th at the Australian Open and she defeated the likes of Ann Li, qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse, 10th seed Danielle Collins, and sixth seed Elena Rybakina in the first four rounds. In the quarterfinals, she overcame Elina Svitolina, defeated Iga Swiatek in the semifinals and then triumphed over Aryna Sabalenka to win the title.

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Madison Keys on winning her maiden Grand Slam title at Australian Open 2025: “I have wanted this for so long”

Madison Keys with the 2025 Australian Open trophy [Image Source: Getty Images]

During the post-match trophy presentation ceremony at the 2025 Australian Open, Madison Keys expressed that winning her first Grand Slam title has been a long dream of hers.

Keys thanked her team for providing her with the support and providing her with the belief that she would be able t win the Melbourne Major . She also mentioned that she is eager to return to the tournament next year.

“I have wanted this for so long. My team believed in me when I didn't believe in myself and helped me every step of the way . I just want to say thank you so much . I am so appreciative to every single person who helped me continue to believe in myself and push me to achieve this dream . Thank you so much and I cannot wait to see you all next year,” Keys said

Before winning her maiden Australian Open title, Keys' best result of her career was finishing as the runner-up at the 2017 US Open, missing out on the title to fellow American, Sloane Stephens.