The Madison Keys who will play two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka for the title at the Australian Open on Saturday night is not the same Madison Keys who was the runner-up at the U.S. Open back in 2017,

But that could well change on Saturday, when Keys will take on two-time defending Australian Open champion Sabalenka in her second slam final having produced a stunning upset of Iga Swiatek. She is confident she has learned from her US Open experience, saying with a smile: “I’ve obviously thought of that match endlessly for the past eight years.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys made rocky starts on Thursday but eventually secured contrasting victories to set up a heavy metal Australian Open final showdown that will pit two of the game's big hitters against each other.