Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys – Australian Open women’s final: Live score and set-by-set updates as the World No.1 eyes third-straight title

Whoever wins the final will be presented with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, pictured below, which was first awarded in 1934.

The trophy was actually made in England, and it’s named after the Aussie who won the title in 1925, 1926, 1928, 1929 and 1930.

In 1970, the lid of the cup went missing because the Open had shifted to Sydney and only the base was brought north to NSW.

Former Tennis Australia boss Geoff Pollard and his wife found the missing piece when they were going through cupboards at Sydney’s White City stadium around 1982.

Whoever gets up tonight will get a full-size replica of the mug – with the lid.

Madison Keys looks completely unruffled in this clip from the players’ gym, with just over an hour to go before she tries to win her first grand slam.

The tennis star turned Nine commentator believes the American is doomed if she drops the first set against Sabalenka.

Keys went a set down to Iga Swiatek in her semi before her stirring fightback saw her survive a match point to advance – but Dokic believes she won’t be able to overcome a similar start against the top seed.

‘If she doesn’t get a good start, even if she doesn’t win the first set, I think it’s going to be very hard for her to win from there,’ Dokic told Nine.

This year’s prize money pool for the grand slam went up by almost 12 per cent to $96.5million.

Whoever wins tonight will pocket $3.5million, with the runner-up getting a $1.9million boost to their bank account.

Madison Keys has borrowed a very effective ploy from the Roger Federer playbook to be on the brink of an improbable Australian Open finals triumph.

Last year was shocker for the American, with Keys forced to quit with a hamstring injury while leading eventual runner-up Jasmine Paolini 5-2 in the fourth round of Wimbledon.

She also missed the Paris Olympics and crashed out in the third round back in New York at the US Open.

So Keys, at the behest of her coach and husband Bjorn Frantangelo, figured something had to change.

Just as Federer changed to a bigger racquet head before conquering great rival Rafael Nadal in the 2017 Australian Open final, Keys made a bold equipment change before the summer.

The 2017 US Open runner-up switched from Wilson to Yonex – and the results have been incredible.

Keys is unbeaten in 2025, following up her march to the Adelaide International title with six straights wins at Melbourne Park to make the final.

Superstar Jackie Chan has caught up with the Aussie tennis great after being mobbed by fans at Melbourne Park when he was greeted by performers in dragon costumes earlier in the day. Chan also had a chat with men’s singles finalist Alexander Zverev near the players’ gym.

Career win-loss record: 397-220

Grand slam win-loss record: 115-45

Australian Open win-loss record: 30-12

Best Australian Open results: finalist 2024; semi-finalist 2015, 2022

1st rd: bt Ann Li (USA) 6-4 7-5

2nd rd: bt Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) 7-6 (7-1) 2-6 7-5

3rd rd: bt 10-Danielle Collins (USA) 6-4 6-4

4th rd: bt 6-Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 6-3 1-6 6-3

QF: bt 28-Elina Svitolina (UKR) 3-6 6-3 6-4

SF: bt 2-Iga Swiatek (POL) 5-7 6-1 7-6 (10-8)

Grand slam titles: 3 (Australian Open 2023, 2024; US Open 2024)

Grand slam win-loss record: 83-23

Australian Open win-loss record: 28-5

Best Australian Open results: champion 2023, 2024

1st rd: bt Sloane Stephens (USA) 6-3 6-2

2d rd: bt Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) 6-3 7-5

3rd rd: bt Clara Tauson (DEN) 7-6 (7-5) 6-4

4th rd: bt 14-Mirra Andreeva (RUS) 6-1 6-2

QF: bt 27-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 6-2 3-6 6-3

SF: bt 11-Paula Badosa (ESP) 6-4 6-2

Here’s how the American and the Belarusian stack up with just hours to go before they meet at Rod Laver Arena…

Sabalenka (first seed) leads Keys (19th seed) 4-1 in all match-ups, and 2-0 at grand slams

2024 Beijing, hard, R16, Sabalenka 6-4 6-3

2023 US Open, hard, SF, Sabalenka 0-6 7-6 (7-1) 7-5 (7-5)

2023 Wimbledon, grass, QF, Sabalenka 6-2 6-4

2021 Berlin, clay, R16, Sabalenka 4-6 6-1 7-5

2018 Cincinnati, hard, QF, Keys 6-3 6-4

Thanks for joining Daily Mail Australia’s live blog of the women’s singles final from Melbourne Park.

We’ll be bringing you all the latest news, opinion and best moments as Aryna Sabalenka tries to make it a hat-trick of Australian Open titles.