Madison Keys makes her feelings known after crushing Elena Rybakina's Australian Open hopes in 4R

Madison Keys heaped praise on Elena Rybakina after beating the Kazakhstani in three sets in the fourth round of the Australian Open 2025. Keys, seeded 19th at the Major, caused quite an upset on Monday by defeating the sixth-seed Rybakina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 to reach the Australian Open quarterfinal.

The American was not the favorite going into this contest against Ryabkina, as the latter had not dropped a single set in her two earlier matches. Moreover, Rybakina had gotten the better of Madison Keys in two of their previous meetings, with the latest being a straight-sets win for the Kazakh at the 2024 Miami Open.

However, Keys came out all guns blazing to beat the former Wimbledon champion.

In her on-court interview after the big win, Keys noted how far she had come and gave a few words of encouragement for Rybakina.

“That was 10 years ago that I made my first semifinal. I’m really proud of myself today. I think she (Rybakina) raised her level in the second set and played some really good tennis. To still be out here and playing some good tennis all these years later, I’m really happy,” Madison Keys said.

The 29-year-old American is one win away from making the Melbourne Major’s semifinal for the third time in her career, having first reached the last-four stage in 2015 and once again in 2022.

---

Madison Keys will face Elina Svitolina in Australian Open QF

Madison Keys faces a stiff challenge next as she takes on a familiar opponent in Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open on Tuesday, January 21. The two veterans have faced each other five times on the circuit, with Keys holding a slender 3-2 lead.

Madison Keys of the United States at the 2025 Australian Open. Source: Getty

Keys won their first two encounters back at New Haven in 2015 and the US Open in 2017, but Svitolina culled out two wins in 2019. She first beat Keys in three sets, incidentally, in the fourth round of the Australian Open and then cruised to a straight-sets win in the fourth round of the US Open a few months later.

The American, however, won their last contest as she beat the Ukranian and Coco Gauff en route to winning the 2022 Adelaide International.

Keys came into the Australian Open after winning the 2025 Adelaide International and will hope to maintain that winning momentum when she takes on Svitolina.

Interestingly, both Keys and Svitolina will have their partners cheering them on as the American is coached by her husband Bjorn Fratangelo, while Svitolona is married to French tennis star Gael Monfils.