Madison Keys Advances at Adelaide, Sebastian Ofner Suffers Heartbreaking Tiebreak Loss

Posted : 14 January 2026

Defending Australian Open champion Madison Keys shook off some early serving issues to secure a straight-sets victory at the Adelaide International, extending her winning streak ahead of the first Grand Slam of 2026. The 30-year-old American, seeded ninth in Melbourne, defeated Czech teenager Tereza Valentova 6-4, 6-1 in a match lasting 85 minutes.

Keys struggled with seven double faults in the opening set but found her rhythm in the second, breaking Valentova twice and converting her third match point to advance to the quarterfinals. “Experience helps get through the tricky moments,” Keys reflected. “I was able to take momentum in the second set and play really well. I had to raise my level and take my chances on any opportunities I got.”

Valentova, ranked world No. 60, is among the rising young talents in women’s tennis, and Keys acknowledged the challenge of facing a new generation of players. “They are so young, have so much energy, and are just so good. You expect them to play great tennis,” she said. Keys will meet another teenager, 17th-ranked Victoria Mboko, in the quarterfinals. The Canadian made headlines last year by winning the WTA 1000 in Montreal and the Hong Kong Open.

Keys began her Australian Open preparations last week in Brisbane, losing in the quarterfinals to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, a rematch of last year’s Australian Open final.

In men’s action, Austrian Sebastian Ofner experienced a dramatic and unforgettable loss in the Australian Open qualifiers. Leading Nishesh Basavareddy 7-1 in the deciding-set tiebreak, Ofner celebrated prematurely, forgetting that final-set tiebreaks require 10 points to win. This lapse gave the 20-year-old American all the motivation he needed, and Basavareddy mounted a remarkable comeback, winning eight of the next nine points to claim a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(13-11) victory.

Ofner’s shock miscalculation left him visibly deflated, while Basavareddy celebrated his improbable comeback with a mix of disbelief and triumph. The win was a milestone for the young American, who previously gained attention as a wildcard last year by taking a set off 10-time champion Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open first round.

Madison Keys Advances at Adelaide, Sebastian Ofner Suffers Heartbreaking Tiebreak Loss

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