Defending champion Keys dethroned in Melbourne as Pegula advances with a new clean sheet
Jessica Pegula defeated Madison Keys 6-3, 6-4 on Monday to reach her fourth Australian Open quarterfinal. The No 6 seed secures her spot in the final eight without dropping a single set all fortnight.
Jessica Pegula, Australian Open 2026 | © PsNewz
Jessica Pegula defeated Madison Keys 6-3, 6-4 to end the defending champion’s reign in Melbourne and secure a place in history. In a clash between two of America’s most consistent forces, the 31-year-old Pegula utilized her trademark flat hitting and relentless depth to dismantle the No 9 seed.
With this victory, Pegula, aged 31 years and 328 days, surpassed Serena Williams to become the oldest American woman in the Open Era to defeat a reigning singles champion at a major. The win marks her 9th career Grand Slam quarterfinal and her first in Melbourne since 2023, confirming her status as the tournament’s “dark horse” who is yet to drop a set.
Now with this result, either Aryna Sabalenka wins her third title in four years or we’ll have a new Australian Open champion between (in the order of the draw) Jovic, Gauff, Svitolina, Pegula, Wang, Anisimova, Rybakina, Mertens, Inglis and Swiatek.
Pegula Dictates as Keys Struggles with Consistency
The match was defined by Pegula’s ability to seize the initiative at the start of both sets. The No 6 seed raced to a 3-0 lead in the first and a 4-1 double-break cushion in the second, constantly putting the defending champion on the back foot. While Keys fired 26 winners to Pegula’s 14, her high-risk game unraveled with 28 unforced errors.
One moment in the first set perfectly illustrated the frustration for the defending champion; at 4-1, Keys completely framed an overhead smash, missing the court entirely.
Tactical instructions from the sidelines provided a glimpse into the strategy required to upset the No 6 seed. During a changeover, Keys’ husband and coach Bjorn Fratangelo was heard urging her to be more aggressive: “You’re going to have chances on every one of her serves. Go for your returns…and do not hit any backhand down the lines.”
While Keys managed to close the gap to 4-3 in both sets, Pegula’s “flawless” composure ensured the comeback never materialized. Upon sealing the win, Pegula sparked confusion in the commentary booth by writing “that was a catch” on the camera lens – a nod to her family’s Buffalo Bills NFL team.
The End of a Reign and a New Challenger Arrives
For Madison Keys, the defeat is a heavy blow that will see her drop to world No 15, exiting the Top 10 just one year after her maiden Grand Slam triumph. Meanwhile, Pegula’s dominance over her compatriots continues; she has now won 29 of her last 32 matches against fellow Americans.
Her path to the quarterfinals has been a model of efficiency, having previously dismissed Oksana Selekhmeteva (6-3, 6-2), McCartney Kessler (6-0, 6-2), and Anastasia Zakharova (6-2, 6-1). She now awaits the winner of the fourth-round clash between No 4 seed Amanda Anisimova and Xinyu Wang.
