Madison Keys suffers big points drop and set for slip down WTA Rankings after Australian Open exit

Madison Keys’ Australian Open title defence came to an end in the fourth round at Melbourne Park as she was beaten by Jessica Pegula and there were big ramifications for her WTA Ranking.

Just over a year ago, Keys enjoyed a dream run as she was seeded 19th and beat former Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, former world No 3 Elina Svitolina, then five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek and world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka to win her maiden Grand Slam.

Despite not being in peak form at the start of the 2026 edition, the American made a good fist of it as she won her first three matches without dropping a set to take her run at Melbourne Park to 10-0.

However, she came unstuck as soon as she faced a seeded player as the sixth-seeded Pegula dominated to secure a 6-3, 6-4 win, breaking twice in both sets, although Keys managed to get one break in each set.

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“In the first set, she played a couple of really good games, and I had to focus on where I was serving, be smart, take some risk on a couple of second serves, change up the pace as much as I could,” Pegula said

“… I had to really trust that I was able to change speeds and hit my spots on my serves.

“In the second set, I couldn’t see anything into the sun, and I was like, ‘Whatever.’ I got broken [at 4-1] … so I tried not to get too upset at that one.”

WTA Ranking Points Dropped

Keys’ defeat will have a massive impact on her rankings as the WTA uses a rolling 52-week, cumulative system, meaning players have to defend the points they earned at the corresponding time 12 months ago.

The American, of course, earned 2,000 ranking points after she beat Sabalenka in the 2025 final so she was always up against it as she had to win the title again to maintain her points tally.

Players who reach the fourth round of Grand Slams earn 240 points so Keys will leave Melbourne Park with a deficit of 1,760 points.

Keys, who peaked at No 5 on the back of her 2025 Australian Open title run, started her campaign at No 9, but she has dropped six places in the Live Rankings to No 15, and she could slip a few more spots as there are still players lower than her alive in the tournament.

Prize Money Earned

Last year, the American secured a prize cheque of A$3,500,000 ($2,198,928) after winning her maiden Grand Slam and that contributed to half of her 2025 earnings of $4,357,787.

But this time around, she will go home with “only” A$480,000 ($323,088).