Madison Keys is out of the Australian Open – and she has to eat a ‘disgusting’ meal as a result

Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula will meet in an all-American quarter-final at the Australian Open, but their ousted compatriot and defending champion Madison Keys will be forced to swallow a “disgusting” Canadian delicacy alongside the disappointment of her straight-sets loss.

Keys was eliminated from the tournament by her friend and fellow podcaster Pegula, 6-3, 6-4 on Monday – and as a result, lost a wager that means she will have to eat an apple pie covered in melted cheddar cheese.

Jessica Pegula of the US has progressed to the quarter-finals. Credit: Eddie Jim

A popular Thanksgiving dish in Canada, according to Pegula’s Canadian grandparents, the bet was conceived while the competitors were presenting their joint podcast, The Player’s Box.

“A bet is a bet, so I’ll do it,” Keys said in her post-match press conference on Friday. “I hope it’s less gross than I think it’s going to be, but we will find out.”

Pegula’s punishment for losing would have been to don a Kansas City Chiefs jersey with Travis Kelce’s name and number on the back.

It might not sound too daunting, but Pegula’s father Terry is the main owner and president of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. She said the wager was additional incentive to win.

“My family owns the Bills. [The Chiefs] owned us in the post-season … I think that was really some extra motivation because that would have been a tough moment for me,” Pegula said after her victory.

She will now progress to her fourth Australian Open quarter-final later this week, and is excited at the prospect of facing fellow American Anisimova in the next round, despite their close ties.

“It’s been pretty crazy how well the women have been doing and how many top-ranked girls there are. I’m just happy to be a part of that conversation,” Pegula said.

“I think sometimes it can be tough because you almost know each other too well … [but] at least one of us will get through, and I think that’s great for American tennis.”

Keys has struggled with form since her win at Melbourne Park last January, exiting during the first round of her home grand slam in August. She is now projected to fall to No.15 in the WTA rankings.

Fourth-seeded Anisimova also enjoyed a straight-sets win on Monday, defeating China’s Wang Xinyi 6-7 (4-7), 4-6.

The pair were evenly matched throughout the first set, neither dropping a service match. But an early break from Anisimova in the second set carried her through to the eventual win. The American said during her post-match interview that she was looking forward to facing Pegula in the next round.

“It’s gonna be fun. [It] sucks that one American has to go out in the quarter-final, but I’m really looking forward to it,” she said.

Anisimova celebrates her fourth-round victory.Credit: Getty Images

Wang, who was briefly treated by a physio during the second set, said in her post-match press conference that the tournament had been a beneficial experience.

“There’s been a lot of tennis for me the past month, and I think [my] body’s just kind of reacting [to] that ... I’m gonna do my best try to recover and try to take the positives from this week into the next tournaments,” Wang said.

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