By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Photo credit: Australian Open Facebook
Madison Keys has spent recent offseasons remodeling her home.
Reigning Australian Open champion Keys continues renovating her game at the right time in week one of her title defense.
Keys saved a set point rallying from 2-5 down in the second set with a five-game surge to ward off compatriot Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 7-5 to reach the AO third round.
A red-hot Jessica Pegula won eight straight games dismissing her doubles partner, McCartney Kessler, 6-0, 6-2 to reach the AO third round for the fifth time.
Three-time AO quarterfinals Pegula has permitted just five games in two tournament wins.
The 2024 US Open finalist Pegula will play Oksana Selekhmeteva in round three. Selekhmeteva surprised 2025 semifinalist Paula Badosa, 6-4, 6-4.
If the sixth-seeded Pegula prevails, she could face Keys in the round of 16 if seeds hold true to form.
Contesting her 50th major main draw, Keys advanced to the AO third round for the 10th game.
It is Keys’ ninth consecutive Melbourne win.
The 30-year-old American will play either former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova or Indonesian Janice Tjen for a return to the round of 16.
Today’s maiden meeting between Keys and Krueger played out like two different matches.
Keys commanded the opening set. Firing her forehand with menace, Keys cranked seven winners and converted all three break points snatching a one-set lead after 23 minutes.
The 92nd-ranked Krueger, who struggled to tame her forehand in the first set, played with more poise and precision the second set.
Down 1-2, Krueger reeled off four games in a row breaking at love for a 5-2 lead.
The 21-year-old Krueger served for the set at 5-2 only to see Keys flash four forehand winners breaking in the eighth game.
Dallas native Krueger again served for the second set at 5-4 but betrayed her cause dumping three double faults, including a double fault on the third break point. Keys, who rocked a forehand winner to save a set point in the game, broke back to level after 10 games.
Once Keys got even, she coaxed a slew of errors from Krueger over the final two games closing in 73 minutes.
Keys has looked shaky at times—she’s faced at least one set point in two of the four sets she’s played, including rallying for a 7-6(6), 6-1 victory over Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova in round one—but the champion is still standing.
Hall of Famer Andre Agassi famously said “You can’t win a Grand Slam title in the first week, but you can lose it.”
Keys continues to revise her game aiming for another second-week run.