Madison Keys’ break-out Australian Open might have ended at the hands of Serena Williams on Thursday but the teenage starlet says she’s hungry to return to the biggest stage in tennis.

The 19-year-old American was defeated 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 in her first grand slam semi-final but received nothing but plaudits for her effort.

After their match, Williams predicted Keys would be a “No.1 in the future” with an Australian Open and other grand slam trophies in her pool room.

World No.2 Maria Sharapova hailed Keys’ “tremendous tournament”.

It’s clearly up and up and up for Keys, who counted fourth seed Petra Kvitova, seven-time grand slam winner Venus Williams and Australian Casey Dellacqua amongst her Open victims.

Keys will rank as high as world No.20 when the next WTA rankings are calculated, meaning her days as a dangerous floater in grand slam draws are done.

Instead, she’ll be seeded – and increasingly highly should Keys keep her form up through the season ahead.

And that’s where the 19-year-old believes she now belongs.

“This week has definitely more shown to me that I can play the top players and I can do well against them,” she said.

“I can play the No. 1 player in the world in a pretty close match.

“For me that’s inspiration for every time I’m on a practice court to keep working, keep getting better so I can have more and more weeks like that.”

Keys has taken on the mantle of “next big thing” over the course of her fortnight at Melbourne Park.

She’s vowing to stay modest and to continue the biggest factor that has led her to the position, hard work.

“I think it’s a privilege,” she said of her new-found status.

“Eventually in your career, it kind of switches from being the young up-and-comer to someone who has had results and the other person is trying to raise their level to play.

“I’m just going to do my best to try to stay here.”

Keys and her Australian Open conqueror will team up next month in the Fed Cup tie, should her injured adductor muscle allow.