Madison Keys shakes off nerves to begin Australian Open title defence
Defending champion Madison Keys battles through ‘stressful’ Australian Open first round match
- Defending champion Madison Keys began her Australian Open title defence by overcoming a challenging start, recovering from losing the first four games to beat Ukrainian debutante Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-6 (6) 6-1.
- Keys admitted to feeling nerves during the match, describing the moment of defending her title as uniquely “stressful” but also a privilege.
- Oliynykova, who made her Grand Slam debut, revealed her motivation stems from her father fighting in Ukraine, stating his military service has significantly boosted her ranking.
- The Ukrainian player detailed the perilous conditions of living and training in Ukraine, including experiencing explosions near her home shortly before travelling to the tournament.
- Elsewhere in the tournament, Elena Rybakina and Ben Shelton secured straight-sets victories, and Lorenzo Musetti advanced after his opponent retired injured.