
Total war between two of the main protagonists on the women's circuit at the moment. The world number one against the recent winner of the Australian Open, the most recent precedent as they arrived at their semifinal battle at Indian Wells 2025. Avenging her own defeat in Melbourne, Aryna Sabalenka delivered a 6-0, 6-1 blow to Madison Keys in just 51 minutes to set up a final showdown with Mirra Andreeva for the title.
Night fell in the Californian desert, and the bright sun was replaced by a cold that forced the players to wrap up more than usual for the matches, with the customary desert wind. Both Aryna and Madison dared to use slice as a perfect tactic to disrupt the rhythm, playing mind games with their opponent given the immense power they both wield in rallies.
From Sabalenka's smile to Keys' concern
The objective was clear: dominate with the forehand, but they faced a significant obstacle in front. There were winners at the start of the match, but a strong Sabalenka forced errors from her opponent to take the lead, trying to deepen that wound more and more. A double fault exposed the deep doubts of the American, who despite trying to break free, couldn't get her head above water in that first half-hour.
A first set lasting twenty-four minutes saw Aryna display a level far superior to her opponent, not allowing her to breathe at any moment. Precise on her serves and not giving any extra leeway, the world number one showed why she held the top spot in the rankings, even when facing the champion of the first Grand Slam of the year.
The world number one goes all out
Keys tried to gain confidence with little left to lose but room for a comeback, increasing her intensity and aggression from the return, somewhat balancing the points from the baseline. Nevertheless, the result remained the same. Downcast and with little hope, Madison resorted to hitting herself with the racket in frustration. Instructions came from her box, but nothing worked in her favor. On the other side of the net, Sabalenka continued to devour her prey mercilessly.
The umpire's 'Game, set and match' call was a relief for a barely holding-on Madison, contrasting completely with Aryna, who had no doubts in enjoying every shot, choosing freely what to do with every point and every minute, just like securing her spot in the grand final where she will play for the trophy against Mirra Andreeva.
This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Una superlativa Sabalenka completa su "vendetta" contra Keys