Madison Keys’ Grand Slam window wasn’t just closing. It had been slammed shut. She has always been an excellent player, but it felt like women’s tennis had passed her by. Far from her peak in 2017, when she was ranked No.

Australian Open women’s champion Madison Keys has returned to her career-best ranking and joins three other American women in the WTA top 10, while men’s champion Jannik Sinner maintained his significant lead atop the ATP list.

Those were the mantras Madison Keys turned to as she confronted the most significant points of her tennis career, trapped in the cauldron of a third set that was tied at 5-all, 30-all in the Australian Open final against two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday.