"You take the majors": Two former world number ones pick Madison Keys year ahead of Aryna Sabalenka

Former world number one Tracy Austin and Jim Courier have picked Madison Keys’ year ahead of Aryna Sabalenka. Both players have had a relatively successful season. Keys has won the only Grand Slam this year as she lifted the Australian Open after beating the 26-year-old in the final with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. Before that, the 30-year-old lifted the Adelaide International after beating fellow American Pegula in the final with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

Ever since lifting the Grand Slam title, Keys has not played in the final of any event. Her best outing came at the Indian Wells, where she was knocked out after losing in the semifinal to Sabalenka in straight sets with a score of 6-0, 6-1.

On the other hand, Sabalenka, after losing that final, has featured in four more finals this year, where she won twice and suffered defeats in the other two. She suffered a defeat in the final of the Indian Wells to Russia’s Mirra Andreeva with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. She then lost in the final of the Stuttgart Open to Latvia’s Jeļena Ostapenko in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-1.

Sabalenka lifted the Miami Open after beating America’s Pegula in the final in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 6-2. Most recently, she lifted the Madrid Open after beating America’s Coco Gauff in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 7-6.

Former world number one Austin and Courier were asked about which player’s year they would like to take, and surprisingly, both of them picked Keys' year by claiming that any player would take ‘majors’. “I would take Madi Keys,” said Austin while speaking on TC Live. “I would too,” said Courier while agreeing Austin. “They are both fantastic but you take the majors!”