MELBOURNE, Australia — Madison Keys beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the Australian Open final at Melbourne Park Saturday.

Australian Open champion Madison Keys credits therapy with helping her understand herself, and that helped her become a better tennis player.

Madison Keys appeared destined for a Grand Slam trophy. Sixteen years later on a breezy night in Melbourne, she held it in her hands.

The newlywed Keys, whose husband and coach is former American tennis player Bjorn Fratangelo, said after some much needed sleep, they'll be "back to work on Monday" to prepare for "lots of tournaments" including the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and the Miami Open back to back in March.

American Madison Keys upset two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 during the Australian Open final Saturday night.

The American has put injuries behind her to win her first major at the age of 29. Madison Keys ran to embrace the members of her team after winning the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. Among them was Bjorn Fratangelo,

Aryna Sabalenka has come up one match shy in her bid for a third consecutive Australian Open title. After 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 loss to Madison Keys in the final on Saturday, Sabalenka threw her racket on the sideline,

MELBOURNE, Australia — When Madison Keys stepped into Rod Laver Arena at 7:37 p.m. on Saturday night ahead of the Australian Open final, she strode right past the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, the trophy that goes to the women’s champion and was placed on a pedestal near the entrance to the court.

She is the oldest woman to become a first-time Slam champ since Flavia Pennetta was 33 at the 2015 U.S. Open. This was the 46th Slam appearance for Keys.

Be brave. Go for it. 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.

Madison Keys is back into the Australian Open semifinals for a third time after her 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win Wednesday over Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.

Professional tennis players are generally well-accustomed to traveling with an excess amount of luggage, but boarding a flight with a grand slam trophy was a new experience for Madison Keys.