Defending a Grand Slam title is never easy, and for Madison Keys, the pressure was unmistakable as she opened her Australian Open 2026 title defence in Melbourne. The American ninth seed admitted to battling nerves and uncertainty as she overcame an unfamiliar opponent to advance to the second round.

Keys, who captured her first-ever Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2025, endured a shaky start before recovering to defeat Ukrainian debutant Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 on Tuesday.

Nerves Surface as Keys Starts Title Defence

If beginning a Grand Slam defence was not daunting enough, Keys faced an additional challenge: a lack of information about her opponent. Oliynykova, making her Grand Slam debut, arrived largely unknown on the biggest stage in tennis.

The 30-year-old American admitted after the match that she struggled to find footage of the Ukrainian’s game, complicating her preparation. Oliynykova’s defensive, counterpunching style initially disrupted Keys’ aggressive, big-hitting approach.

That uncertainty showed early. Keys lost the first four games of the match and struggled to settle, committing three double faults in her opening service game. For a brief moment, the defending champion looked vulnerable.

“I’ve been thinking about this moment for basically a year,” Keys said.
“The moment they say, ‘Ready, play’, it all hits you in a way that’s hard to explain.”

Champion Responds Under Pressure

Despite the nervous opening, Keys gradually found her rhythm. From 4-0 down in the opening set, she clawed her way back, forcing a tie-break and then overturning a 5-2 deficit to claim it 8-6.

Once the first set was secured, the match swung decisively. Keys dominated the second set, racing through it in just 28 minutes as her confidence returned and her powerful groundstrokes began to dictate play.

The win marked an important psychological step as much as a competitive one, allowing Keys to steady herself and move past the emotional weight of defending a major title.

“As nerve-racking and stressful as that can be, I keep reminding myself how few people ever get to be in that moment,” she said.
“Walking out today and having the crowd be so welcoming — I’ll take the stress any day.”

‘Timid’ Start Gives Way to Control

Keys was candid in her assessment of her early struggles, describing herself as overly cautious during the opening exchanges.

“At the start, I felt like I was playing a little timid,” she admitted.
“I wasn’t really trusting my first instinct. I kept changing my mind and reacting instead of having a plan.”

Once she committed to her natural attacking style, the defending champion looked far more assured, closing out the match efficiently to set up a second-round clash with fellow American Ashlyn Krueger.

Searching for Momentum After 2025 Triumph

Interestingly, Keys arrives in Melbourne still searching for consistency after her breakthrough year. Following her Australian Open victory in 2025, she did not add another title to her résumé and began the 2026 season with quarter-final exits in Brisbane and Adelaide.

Tuesday’s victory came in her 50th Grand Slam appearance, underlining her experience — even if nerves briefly got the better of her.

Oliynykova Impresses on Grand Slam Debut

While the spotlight was on the defending champion, Oleksandra Oliynykova emerged with her reputation enhanced. Ranked 285th just a year ago and now inside the world’s top 100, the 25-year-old Ukrainian pushed Keys harder than many expected.

Playing her first match against a top-50 opponent, Oliynykova raced into a 4-0 lead and showed remarkable composure on one of tennis’s biggest stages. Tiny flowers drawn on her face added a personal touch to a moment she described as unforgettable.

“This was the best experience of my career,” Oliynykova said.
“It’s something I will remember until the end of my life.”

Playing for Family Amid War in Ukraine

Born in Kyiv, Oliynykova said her performance was driven by a desire to make her father proud while he serves in Ukraine’s military.

“I know it was his dream to see me on this court,” she said.
“I made his dream come true.”

Despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Oliynykova has continued to train at home, with the realities of war never far from her daily life. She revealed that shortly before travelling to Australia, an explosion occurred near her apartment.

“There was a drone hit just across the road from my home,” she said.
“My apartment was literally shaking because of the explosion.”

Keys Advances, Eyes Stability

For Keys, the immediate task is regaining match sharpness and confidence as the tournament progresses. While the start was far from perfect, champions often find ways to win even when not at their best — and Keys did exactly that.

As the Australian Open unfolds, her ability to manage pressure, trust her instincts, and settle into her attacking game will determine whether her title defence can go deep into the second week.

For now, the defending champion survives her opening test — nerves, uncertainty, and all.