Australian Open 2026: Madison Keys overcomes nerves to defeat Oleksandra Oleinikova and begins title defense

If Madison Keys wasn’t nervous enough about starting her Australian Open title defense, facing an unknown opponent will make it even more so.

The 30-year-old American had a fairytale run in Melbourne 12 months ago, culminating in lifting the first Grand Slam title of her career.

However, she got off to a thrilling start to her title defense on Tuesday, losing the first four matches to Grand Slam debutant Oleksandra Olenikova.

Keys said afterward that she struggled to find footage of her opponent to help her prepare, as Olenikova’s defensive playing style does not fit well with her power-hitting style.

But the ninth seed eventually settled for a 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 win over the Ukrainian.

“I’ve been thinking about this moment for about a year,” Keyes said.

“The moment they say ‘Ready, Play,’ it all hits you in a way that I don’t think you can ever explain.

“Even though it can be nerve-racking and stressful, I still remind myself of a few people in that moment.

“To be able to come out today and have the crowd be as welcoming as they have been, I’ll take the pressure any day.”