Aryna Sabalenka arrived in Melbourne hoping to become the first woman to win the Australian Open three straight times since Martina Hingis earned a three-peat in 1999. But over the course of this year’s fortnight, Sabalenka repeatedly labored to find her best form. As just one example, in Sabalenka’s first six matches, her serve was broken 16 times. Champions, though, find their way, and so it was that Sabalenka scratched her way to the finals.
But champions also raise the bar, their excellence sending out a motivational message. So it was that Keys in the final beat Sabalenka at her own game of power and precision, depth and faith.
