Inspiration from opponent Aryna Sabalenka and a willingness to embrace change have carried Madison Keys to the brink of a long-awaited first grand slam title.

The American was hailed as the next big star of women’s tennis when she turned professional aged just 14 but, 15 years later, her best slam result remains a one-sided loss to Sloane Stephens in the US Open final in 2017.

But that could well change on Saturday, when Keys will take on two-time defending Australian Open champion Sabalenka in her second slam final having produced a stunning upset of Iga Swiatek.

She is confident she has learned from her US Open experience, saying with a smile: “I’ve obviously thought of that match endlessly for the past eight years.

“I think, during that match, I was so consumed with being nervous and the moment and the opportunity and all of that, that I never really gave myself a chance to actually play.

“I think the big thing for me has just been knowing that there are going to be a lot of moments where I’m uncomfortable in the match. It’s going to be stressful. You have thousands of people watching you. You might not be playing your best tennis.

“But, instead of trying to shy away from that and search for settling or comfort or anything, just being OK that that’s the situation, and you can also play tennis through that.”

Watching Sabalenka has given Keys an insight into one area she can improve, with the 19th seed citing her opponent’s ability to keep swinging at tight moments.

“I think what’s really impressive is her mentality,” said Keys. “Her ability to always go for it, no matter what the score is, is really impressive.

“She plays such fearless tennis. I think it’s very unique. A lot of people, if it was a tight point, you expect them to play a little bit more conservative or back down a little bit, and you know she’s not going to do that.

“The one thing I really wanted to try to be better at was not playing more passive in big points and really, honestly, just trying to emulate the way she trusts her game and the way she goes after it.”

One of Keys’ most painful losses, to Sabalenka in the US Open semi-finals two years ago, was a case in point.

The 29-year-old won the first set 6-0 and served for the match in the second but Sabalenka edged two tie-breaks, leaving Keys fearing her last big chance at a slam might have gone.

“I would be lying if I said that there wasn’t doubts,” she said. “That felt like such a huge moment. I felt like I was so close. To be that close and to lose it was just so heartbreaking.”

Since that loss, Keys has made two big changes: firstly deciding to work with husband Bjorn Fratangelo, a former player, as her full-time coach, and then switching rackets from Wilson to Yonex.

Both decisions have paid off, and Fratangelo was courtside as everything came together in Keys’ victory over Swiatek.

“I’m super happy with her,” he said. “That was as gutsy as I’ve ever seen her compete.

“Sharpening the axe can get you so far, but sometimes you just need new tools. I think that’s what I’ve tried to bring to the table.

“She’s obviously done it her way for so long. It’s brought her great success and an amazing career. I just thought, ‘OK, if we make a few changes and some subtle tweaks here and there, maybe being 15 in the world turns to 10 and 10 can turn to 8, then all of a sudden you’re in the mix, and you’re being talked about again, like she is now.”

Sabalenka remembers their US Open match as a rare occasion where she felt overpowered.

“I was under so much pressure,” said the top seed, who is guaranteed to hold onto her world number one ranking following Swiatek’s loss.

“It felt like she was just going for her shots, and everything was going in. She was just crushing it.”

The 26-year-old is bidding to become the sixth woman to win three Australian Open titles in a row after Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis.