Madison Keys Bans Frances Tiafoe Texts Ahead of Australian Open Final

MELBOURNE, Australia — Madison Keys is one win away from her first Grand Slam title, but there’s one person she hopes won’t reach out before her Australian Open final against Aryna Sabalenka: her close friend and fellow American Frances Tiafoe.

Keys, who advanced to her first major final since the 2017 U.S. Open, revealed a quirky superstition involving Tiafoe. “We have this kind of joke where in the past he wouldn’t say anything pre-tournament or anything, and then he would text me, like, in the quarters or the semis or something, and I would lose the next round,” Keys said. “So we have this new rule. Like I saw him a few days ago, and I said, ‘Don’t text me, I don’t want to hear from you at all, just leave me alone and we’ll talk after the tournament.'”

The 29-year-old American, who defeated Elina Svitolina in the semifinals, is on a 10-match winning streak after claiming the Adelaide International title earlier this month. She credits a newfound openness to change for her recent success, including a revamped service motion and a new racquet, adjustments made with her husband and coach, Bjorn Fratangelo.

“Obviously I’m at the later point of my career,” Keys said. “It just kind of felt like, why not, however many more years I have, be willing to adapt and be a little bit more open to change? I think doing that is a little bit freeing because I think for a really long time I felt like I was so close doing it a certain way. I kind of just kept falling short.”

Keys, who lost to Sabalenka in a heartbreaking semifinal at the 2023 U.S. Open, is determined to reverse her fortunes in Melbourne. The World No. 14 has embraced a more flexible mindset, shedding the rigidity that once defined her approach. “I probably just got a little too rigid not wanting to change because things were good enough for close and all that,” she admitted.

As she prepares for Saturday’s final, Keys remains focused on her goal, even if it means keeping Tiafoe at arm’s length. The two have a strong bond, having teamed up to win the 2023 Hopman Cup, but for now, their friendship will have to wait until the tournament concludes.