Keys was swept by Pegula, failing to defend her title and dropping out of the top ten; the 18-year-old dark horse says she most wants to face Sabalenka.

It was clear that defending the Australian Open crown would be difficult for Keys this year, yet her journey ended surprisingly early, stopping at the last 16.

Despite concerns about Keys’ form since Wimbledon last year and her early exit in Adelaide 500 signaling the failure to defend her title, at Melbourne Park, Miss Keys appeared to be making a powerful comeback. Before meeting Pegula, she had won all her matches in straight sets, improving with each round, which led some to joke that the American star only cared about Grand Slam events and considered other tournaments less important. Regardless of whether she could successfully defend the title, at least there was hope for a quarterfinal or semifinal appearance.

However, after facing her good friend Pegula in the round of 16, many immediately changed their opinions, openly stating that this match against the wealthy American was a true test for Keys.

Keys had been playing well at this Australian Open, but Pegula’s form was even better. The American had dominated her first three rounds in straight sets, showing explosive form; combined with Pegula’s well-known tenacity, if Keys couldn’t overpower her friend with sheer strength, she was very likely to lose her chance to defend the title early.

From the performance in the first set, outside predictions proved quite accurate. When Keys’ power failed to intimidate Pegula, and the American’s form, fighting spirit, and resilience were flawless, the defending champion indeed faced serious trouble in the opening set.

When Pegula quickly took the first set 6-3 in just 31 minutes, some noted Keys’ inconsistent serving and inability to control errors, predicting she would also struggle in the second set.

Especially after Keys lost her serve in the opening game of the second set, viewers in the live chat began to sense that the defending champion’s exit was imminent.

Although Keys was pushed to the brink at 1-4 in the second set and launched a furious comeback to narrow the gap to 3-4, Pegula’s later performance suggested she was giving her friend some respect. Near the end of the set, Pegula’s serving was so solid it was frustrating; no matter how hard Keys fought to even the score and push the match to a decider, Pegula gave no chances. Ultimately, with the advantage of one break, she sealed the match 6-4, shattering Keys’ hopes of defending her title.

Exiting the Australian Open in the round of 16 confirmed Keys’ failure to defend her crown, costing her 1700 ranking points. Currently ranked ninth, Keys is certain to fall out of the world’s top ten after the tournament. Some fans have calculated that her live ranking has already dropped to 16th.

While Keys had to leave Melbourne Park earlier than hoped, her friend Pegula received a pleasant surprise.

Since reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals at the end of 2023, Pegula’s performances at Melbourne Park had declined yearly. Now, by defeating her friend Keys, she has returned to the quarterfinals after three years. Not only is the American thrilled, but her supporters immediately expressed being “moved to tears,” finally witnessing this moment.

After reaching the quarterfinals, Pegula will wait to face the winner between Wang Xinyu and Anisimova. Given Pegula’s excellent current form, many are eagerly anticipating that she might break the quarterfinal barrier at the Australian Open and achieve a major career milestone.

Another player generating excitement for a breakthrough is Djokovic’s compatriot and the tournament’s big dark horse, Jovic.

Since Jovic’s upset over Boulini and revealing she had received guidance from her older brother Djokovic, many credit half of her success to the Serbian star. This 18-year-old American of Serbian descent has seemingly been unstoppable at Melbourne Park.

In the third round against Kazakhstan’s Putintseva, most expected Jovic would struggle to advance easily. However, the young player shocked everyone by winning 6-0, 6-1, earning a chance to challenge world number one Sabalenka.

Djokovic’s effective coaching and Jovic’s rising confidence seem to be paying off. When asked about her upcoming round of 16 match against Sabalenka, the 18-year-old American boldly declared that to become world number one, she must defeat the current top player. “I said last year that I hoped to face her this year and see what happens.”

Jovic’s remarks sparked significant media attention, making her match against Sabalenka highly anticipated even before it started. Some joked that since Sabalenka easily defeated Mboko in straight sets in the previous round, she clearly doesn’t go easy on young players and will probably teach Jovic a tough lesson to curb her ambition.

The match between Jovic and Sabalenka is scheduled to begin around 9 a.m. Beijing time tomorrow. Whether the 18-year-old dark horse will cause a major upset or the reigning queen will continue to school the young player is eagerly awaited!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)