Madison Keys unlocked history last week as she lifted her first maiden Grand Slam trophy. The American powerhouse defeated World No.1 and 2-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open. It was a moment 15 years in the making. Perhaps that’s why the win felt so vindicating and emotional. It was such a powerful moment, that it moved an ex-WTA pro to tears.

In the podcast, ‘Served’ hosted by former US Open champion Andy Roddick, their latest episode featured a former Australian Open champion who resonated with Key’s victory personally. Kim Clijsters—4-time Grand Slam champion and former World. No.1 in both singles and doubles revealed how the 29-year-old tennis player’s victory touched her. She said, “To see Maddie do it and to see like the relief and the tears. And I got up, like, I think I have like a coughing moment in the middle of the night. And I checked my phone to see the live score.And I was like, I got to go. It was like 4-3 in the first set or something. So I got up and I watched it in the middle of the night. It was incredible. I cried like, yeah, all the emotions. They come back. I’m so happy for her.”

The 2011 Australian Open was a particularly personal win for Clijsters. The ex-Belgian tennis star had just become a mother in 2010. She successfully defended her US Open title and then won her first Grand Slam outside of the US Open at the Australian Open. This led her to become the first mother to be ranked No.1.

It was a comeback story for Key’s as well. 2024 was not the best year for her as she was struggling with injuries. A shoulder injury caused her to withdraw from the Australian Open. Once that healed, she found herself in pain again at Wimbledon as a hamstring injury troubled her. The American tennis player had to withdraw from her fourth-round match in the third set against Jasmine Paolini.

Ranked World No.21 before the season began, the 29-year-old tennis player started the year strong by clinching the Adelaide International and later going on to win the Australian Open. These victories have caused her to jump to No.7 in the rankings.

What’s next for the American tennis star?

The road ahead for Madison Keys in the 2025 season

Madison Keys is headed to the Middle East to compete in WTA 1000 events. Her first stop was supposed to be the Doha Open in Qatar. However, the American Tennis player has withdrawn from the tournament, citing a hamstring injury. Nevertheless, she is still committed to participating in the Dubai Duty FreeTennis Championship from February 16.

The Australian Open champion was also supposed to be seen at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas from from 27th February. But it seems like her recent resurgence has caused her to lose her place in the tournament. The ATX Open organizers announced on Tuesday that Madison Keys would not be able to partake in the event owing to a bizarre, WTA rule. What is it?

According to the WTA, two players from the top 10 cannot participate in a WTA 250 event since Jessica Pegula has already been confirmed to play. The rule only allows an exception if the player is a defending champion of the tournament.

This makes Keys ill-eligible to participate. When she had signed up for the event, she was world number 21, but now since she is world number 7, the American tennis player cannot play in Austin. It is important to note that ATP, the male counterpart of WTA does not have such a rule.

Success comes with a price and Keys’s is probably more than happy to pay the price. The season has just begun and the American tennis star already has two titles to her name. What is next for Madison Keys?