It has all come down to this moment. After putting on thrilling performances over the past few days, Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys will battle it out for the Australian Open trophy. Both Keys and Sabalenka have had contrasting paths en route to the final, with the American star having to put in more hard work to emerge victorious in her matches. The two have been on the WTA Tour for a long time and have pocketed huge sums on and off the court. But do you know who is richer between the two?

While Sabalenka has won three major titles before, Keys has yet to taste success on this level, although she reached the 2017 US Open final. Additionally, Sabalenka is one of the most popular players in the tennis world and has massive sponsorship deals in her kitty. Last year was a breakout season for Sabalenka, and she pocketed a massive sum of $9.7M on the court. Further, she earned $8M from endorsements from sponsorship deals. This makes her stand fifth in the Sportico’s Top 15 Highest-Paid Female Athletes. According to Forbes, Sabalenka has an estimated net worth of $18.7 Million.

On the other hand, Keys had a mediocre 2024 season and didn’t go beyond the fourth round at Grand Slam events. Additionally, the results in other WTA tournaments also didn’t go according to Keys’ plans as she fell down the pecking order among the American stars on the tour. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Keys has an estimated net worth of $8 Million, significantly lower than that of Aryna Sabalenka. Nonetheless, a victory over Sabalenka tomorrow will earn Keys $2.21 Million(AUD3.5M).

Further, Sabalenka is very popular among tennis fans and this has resulted in her gaining some massive sponsorship deals. Last year, she reeled in endorsements with açaí bowl chain Oakberry and Master & Dynamic headphones. Additionally, she also has deals with Nike and Audemars Piguet, among other brands.

Sabalenka is having the time of her career and looks the favorite to clinch her fourth Grand Slam title. Ahead of the big match, she had a sweet message for the local crowd.

Aryna Sabalenka feels at home in Australia

The Belarusian star is a two-time champion here and is slowly becoming a favorite among the home fans. Additionally, she has left fans spellbound with her performances over the past few days as she dominated her opponents to reach the summit clash. During an interview before her final match against Keys, Sabalenka made a heartfelt revelation about the support from the fans in Melbourne.

She said, “I just feel like home. Like last year I thought, okay, I feel like home, I feel so good here, I feel all the support, this year I feel even more. I feel like I’m coming home to my home Slam, I know everything. I know every area, I know where to warm up so it’s not that crowded. I go there, and I feel like people screaming my name, they support me. I have goose bumps every time they scream, like, Let’s go Aryna. It’s incredible to feel that support here.”

While Sabalenka would be the favorite going into the match, Keys’ giant-killing instincts would make her a dark horse to win the title. Who do you think will lift the Australian Open trophy this year? Let us know your views in the comments below.