Madison Keys and Jannik Sinner Sail Through After Early Scares
Australian Open
January 20, 2026
Madison Keys had a whole year to get nervous about defending her title in Melbourne.
It showed.
And if an opponent’s face could ever unnerve, the temporary tattoos sported by Ukrainian underdog Oleksandra Oliynykova might just have added to the American’s early unease.
Madison Keys and her penchant for drama will make her campaign at Wimbledon 2026 all the more intriguing.
This opener Down Under should have been straight forward. Oliynykova had zero experience on the big stage.
But before she knew it, a tight and faltering Keys found herself 0-4 down in the first set.
She battled back to force a tie-break…and promptly fell 0-4 behind in that fight too!
Luckily for Madison, nerves must also have played their part on the other side of the net. As soon as the favourite sensed it, she found her rhythm.
Keys could afford to smile after her 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 victory. Getting over the first hurdle had been on her mind for a while.
She explained: ‘I have been thinking of that moment for basically a year. It was incredible to walk out for the first time since walking off court [as champion] a year ago.
‘Obviously very nervous at the start. But just so happy to be back.’
Jannik Sinner probably felt the same. But he was more nervous than happy after the first three points of his opening service game.
At 0-40, Sinner was at the mercy of Hugo Gaston’s volley at the net. The Frenchman fluffed his lines and couldn’t close out. He never had another chance to star in the story.
Sadly, having looked startled at his own potential success in the first game, Gaston was forced to retire after two sets – and Sinner became the grateful 6-2, 6-1 victor.
Madison Keys and Jannik Sinner will bring more fighting spirit to the rest of the Australian Open – and Wimbledon 2026 later this year as well!
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