Tennis At Its Best
Tennis was at its best as two super athletes slugged it out on the blue drenched Rod Laver Arena, as the sun began to set on a beautiful Melbourne evening. It was the final of the Women’s Singles played out between the defending Champion and World no.1 Aryna Sabalenka and the challenger from America, Madison Keys.
Keys Startles Sabalenka
Madison Keys had beaten Iga Swiatek in a closely contested semi-final a couple of days ago saving two match points while Sabalenka had gone past Paula Badosa with comparative ease. Keys started where she had left, startling Sabalenka.
The Third Set Was Perfectly Set Up
It is not seen much that Sabalenka is out gunned. She is too powerful to be surpassed, but then Madison Keys playing with great power and precision won the first set 6-3. Sabalenka came back strongly to win the second set 6-2. Whatever may be the score line the games produced some great tennis from both players. The deciding set was to be an interesting one and so it happened.
Keys Was Sublime
The quality of play from both sides reached dizzying heights. Madison Keys was simply sublime when it came to delivering winners from both her forehand as well as backhand. Her brilliance on the serve too fetched her free points as she continued to stay in the game alongside a roaring Sabalenka.
Sabalenka Was Incredible Too
Sabalenka too produced some incredible passages of play, hitting terrific winners, using the slice and drop shots to perfection and acing the serve when it mattered.
Breathtaking Keys Wins It In The End
Since the American had started the set, she stayed ahead and Sabalenka had to hold serve at 5-6 to stay in the match. The pressure built up on the defending Champion as she missed a few of her strokes while Keys produced two exceptional winners to seal the set 7-5, the match and the Championship. The inside out forehand on match point was hit with great finesse and perfectly placed to win the point.
Keys’ Fitness Stood Up Well
Keys played some spectacular tennis. She was in great rhythm with her serve and her groundstrokes were breathtaking. Her fitness too stood up well for her having playing too gruelling matches in 3 days.
Sabalenka Was Outplayed By A Whisker
Sabalenka did nothing wrong really and as the statistics suggest there was hardly anything to choose between the two players. The World no.1 gave everything but it was Keys’ night, who just played better by a whisker and claimed the Daphne Akhurst Trophy.
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