Why Laura Robson was crying courtside when Madison Keys won Australian Open
Former British number one Laura Robson was in tears as her close friend Madison Keys won her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
Keys beat defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2005 to overcome the world No.1 and world No.2 en route to the Australian Open title.
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It was a feat which made her childhood friend of many years, Robson, cry uncontrollably.
Robson and Keys became friends through the junior tennis ranks and trained at the Evert Academy in Florida, USA.
Both were tipped for greatness as the Brit won the Junior Wimbledon championship aged 14 and Keys turned professional at the same age.
The two stayed close and Robson attended the American’s wedding to tennis coach Bjorn Fratangelo in the off-season.
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Ahead of the Aussie Open final, Robson even revealed that her parents would be sitting in Keys’ player's box to cheer her on.
“They’ve got their tickets,” she said on Eurosport.
“I think they’re here on-site somewhere already because they make sure that they’re on time, and my mum is wearing her lucky earrings, so all set her end.”
After winning the first set in straight-forward fashion, the American dropped the second set 6-2 to Sabalenka with Keys looking under immense pressure.
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Nevertheless, the World No.14 fought back to win the deciding set 7-5 as she blasted a forehand that would see her become champion in Melbourne.
The nature of the defeat saw Sabalenka smash her racket in frustration as she failed to claim her fourth Grand Slam.
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Watching herself back, Robson said after the match: “I was feeling unwell at this point. The poker face went out the window. I had Rennae Stubbs - who was working for ESPN - grabbing my leg so hard from the other side.
“This must have been the end but all of us felt ill, to be honest. Even if you’re not invested, it’s just one of those matches where you can’t help but feel a bit ill for the person involved.”
Robson was able to go courtside and congratulate her friend on the milestone victory.
One that must have been a relief to Keys who lost her one and only previous Grand Slam final, the 2017 US Open, to another close friend and fellow American, Sloane Stephens.
Asked whether she has composed herself after an emotional victory for her friend, Robson replied, “Erm, just about. I maybe shed another tear during that speech. I managed to get over and say hello and well done to Bjorn who was the one sitting courtside for her team.
“And they were in bits and as soon as I saw them I went [cried] again. Her physio was pretty much sobbing because all the stuff she’s been through off the court in the last six months from Wimbledon onwards was really tough for her."
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Keys was forced to withdraw from the round-of-16 stage at Wimbledon in 2024 in heartbreaking circumstances.
Arriving as the seventh seed, the American took on Italy's Jasmine Paolini for a place in the quarter-finals and was in a commanding lead in the crucial third set.
Losing the first 3-6, Keys came back to win the second set 7-6 and was 5-2 up in the decisive third set when her left leg gave way.
She was serving for the match but ultimately was forced to retire, being unable to move across the court properly.
“To now lift that trophy in what was such a topsy turvy match, so nerve racking even if you weren’t emotionally involved in it,"; Robson continued.
“It was a match that 18 months ago she wouldn't have won. To think back to eight years ago, that final at the US Open and how different tonight was. I could not be prouder of the performance she put on.”
Emotional Madison Keys overcomes Iga Swiatek at Australian Open to stun world no.2 and end semifinal jinx
Robson knows a thing or two about heartbreak, having been forced to retire from tennis at the age of 28.
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The Junior Wimbledon champion and Olympic silver medalist - being beaten finalists in the mixed doubles at London 2012 with Andy Murray - persistent injury problems saw the talented Brit call time on her career in 2022.
She is now a regular on the tennis pundit circuit and is tournament director of the Women’s WTA 500 event at The Queen’s Club in London, as well as being on the international player relations team at Wimbledon.
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