Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula are set for a blockbuster meeting in the Australian Open fourth round.
Pegula and Keys present The Players’ Box and this is their first meeting since they launched the podcast, in 2025.
Keys is looking to defend her Australian Open crown, while Pegula is looking to build upon three quarter-final appearances at the Melbourne event.
Ahead of their fourth career meeting, Keys has detailed the friendly rivalry they’ve built up before the match.
Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula’s ‘forfeit’ revealed ahead of the Australian Open
There might be a place in the quarter-finals on the line for Keys and Pegula, but they have added to the tension of their match with a forfeit for the loser.
Speaking at her Australian Open press conference, Keys revealed: “She said she wants to have, whoever loses, the other person can come up with something.
“She wants to make me eat her disgusting apple pie with cheese on top of it if I lose, which I said I refuse, so she’s going to have to think of something else.
Who has impressed you most so far at the Australian Open?
“We’re both going to try to think of something to kind of commemorate this moment. I mean, hopefully we have more times where we meet later in tournaments where we get to play each other.
“We can see how this one goes and then hopefully be able to capitalize on it and then see how we want to do it in the future, as well.”
Another American could be in line to face the winner of Keys vs Pegula, with Amanda Anisimova facing Xin Wang in the mirroring fourth round.
Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula’s head-to-head record
Keys and Pegula are two of the stalwarts of the WTA Tour, but they have not met too many times in their careers.
Ahead of the Australian Open, the two players have only met three times, with Keys leading the head-to-head with two victories.
Pick your Australian Open dark horse!
The two Americans have not met for over a year, with their last meeting coming in the final of the 2025 Adelaide International.
Keys won that match and used the momentum to go on her remarkable run to the Australian Open title two weeks later.
Keys and Pegula have also met in San Diego and the US Open, with Pegula winning the latter match in straight sets.
