Madison Keys is into her first Australian Open final against Aryna Sabalenka.

Madison Keys is into her first Australian Open final against Aryna Sabalenka.

Madison Keys won an Australian Open classic to reach the final against Aryna Sabalenka, defeating Iga Swiatek in a third-set tiebreak.

The American has only played a Grand Slam final once before in her career, at the 2017 US Open, but is up against Sabalenka who has won the last two titles in Melbourne.

The Belarussian is bidding to join an elite list of women who have won the first Major of the year three times in a row, joining Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Martina Higgins, but Keys is standing in the way.

And Express Sport has taken a look at the American’s life away from tennis.

Keys revealed that she had imposed a text ban on compatriot Tiafoe after a superstition was formed late into Grand Slam events.

The pair are very close on tour and have played for their country together, but asked Tiafoe not to send her any congratulatory messages after reaching the final.

“No, I probably won’t text him,” said Keys. “We have this kind of joke where in the past he wouldn’t say anything pre-tournament or anything, and then he would text me, like, in the quarters or the semis or something, and I would lose the next round.

“So we have this new rule. Like I saw him a few days ago, and I said: ‘Don’t text me, I don’t want to hear from you at all, just leave me alone and we’ll talk after the tournament’.”

Married to her coach

Keys and her long-time partner Bjorn Fratangelo tied the knot before the Australian Open, after initially becoming her stand-in coach in the summer of 2023, then taking up the position permanently.

Fratangelo was a player himself and reached the top 100 just under a decade ago, before retiring in 2023, and now can be seen barking orders from the side of the court to his wife.

“It’s great that we get to see each other,” Keys said when asked what it was like to be coached by her beau. “He used to play as well so we would go long periods of time without seeing each other so it’s wonderful seeing him.

“So far, so good yeah. It’s been good. I’m a pro now, we’ve been married for about two months so if you need marital advice just call me. Feel like I’ve got it figured out so far.”

Keys has accumulated £19.5million across her career in prize money and has a net worth that stands at £6.4m, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

She also stands to bank at least another £970,000 in Melbourne, if she finishes as runner-up to Sabalenka.

The winner of Saturday’s final will bank a whopping £1.7m.