ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Madison Keys lost in the Adelaide International quarterfinals to rising Canadian talent Victoria Mboko on Thursday, less than a week away from the start of her Australian Open title defense.
The 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 loss to Mboko followed last week’s quarterfinal loss in the Brisbane International to top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, who she beat at Melbourne Park last year for her first Grand Slam singles title.
Keys was the defending champion at Adelaide.
No. 8-seeded Mboko broke Keys early en route to winning the first set, but couldn’t compete with Keys’ big serve in the second. Keys, seeded second at the WTA 500 event, had eight aces in the match, including six in the second set.
Mboko won 75% of her first-serve points in the third set and converted the lone breakpoint available to her. She’ll now face Kimberly Birrell of Australia in the semifinals.
Mboko was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year after winning the National Bank Open in Montreal and raising her ranking from No. 333 at the start of the season to No. 18.
The Australian Open begins on Sunday. Keys has been drawn to face Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine in the first round of the year’s first major. Mboko will open against Emerson Jones of Australia.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis