WATCH: Madison Keys breaks down in tears after emotional win vs Iga Swiatek to reach Australian Open final for the first time

Madison Keys has put together one of the finest weeks of her career at this year's Australian Open. The American came from a set down and saved a match point against second-seeded Iga Swiatek to reach her second Major final.

Keys started her 2025 WTA Tour season in fine form earlier this month, winning the Adelaide International as an unseeded player. The former World No. 7 carried her rich vein of form into Melbourne this fortnight, beating former finalists Elena Rybakina and Danielle Collins en route to the semifinals.

Madison Keys began her last-four encounter against World No. 2 Iga Swiatek on Thursday (January 23) in less than ideal fashion, dropping serve four times to drop the opening set 5-7. Not to be deterred, the 19th seed won the second set by a lopsided scoreline of 6-1 to force a decider.

The two players then held serve to be tied at 5-5 before Swiatek broke her lower-ranked opponent in the 11th game of the third set. However, the Pole couldn't serve the match out as Keys saved a match point at 40-30 down before breaking serve to force a winner-takes-all super tiebreaker.

Madison Keys then showed impressive composure to come back from 5-7 down in the super tiebreaker, eventually winning 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8) in two hours and 37 minutes to reach her second Major final. The moment clearly meant a lot to the victor, who fell to her knees in tears following her handshake with the World No. 2 at the net.

The American received raucous applause from the Rod Laver Arena crowd as she sobbed under her visor. She also contested the championship match at the US Open seven years ago, losing 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(7) to Sloane Stephens.

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Madison Keys to renew rivalry with 2-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka at Australian Open 2025 final

Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys embrace after 2023 US Open SFs (Source: Getty)

Madison Keys will face World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for her maiden Major title in Melbourne later this week. The American comes into the championship match as an underdog, owing to her record against the Belarusian on the WTA Tour.

Keys defeated Sabalenka when the latter was yet to climb the top rungs of tennis at the 2021 German Open, which was played on grass. Having said that, the 29-year-old has dropped all four of their hardcourt meetings to trail her younger rival by a margin of 1-4 in their head-to-head meetings.

One of Keys' losses to the top seed came in the semifinals of the 2023 US Open. The American had bageled Sabalenka in the first set and served for the match at 5-4 up before succumbing to a 6-0, 6-7(1) 6-7(5) defeat.