Madison Keys upsets Aryna Sabalenka to win maiden Grand Slam title

Madison Keys is the new champion of the Australian Open.

Keys handed defending champion Aryna Sabalenka a shock defeat to claim her maiden Grand Slam title on Saturday night.

The match-up between Sabalenka world number 1 and Kenya number 14 was keenly contested as expected.

Madison Keys sent shock waves done the spines of Sabalenka as she took the first set in a convincing fashion.

The 19th seed broke Sabalenka thrice in the first set to  win 6-3.

Aryna Sabalenka in a bid to recreate Martina Hingis record of three consecutive Australian Open titles triumph, came back strong in the second.

Madison Keys lost her serves twice as Sabalenka raced to a convincing 6-2 win in the second set.

The concluding set went down the wire as both ladies relied on their powerful serves to draw level at 5-5.

Madison power serves saw her take a 6-5 lead with Sabalenka expected to the same.

However, the Belarusian lost her serve to give Madison Keys the win as the third set ended 7-5.

The 29-year-old 19th seed becomes the fourth oldest first time Grand slam winner in the professional era after Flavia Panetta, Ann Jones, and Francesca Schiavone.

Madison Keys also becomes the first player to defeat both world number 1 and 2 at a Grand Slam event since Svetlana Kuznetsova at 2009 Roland Garros.