Madison Keys, on Thursday, reached her maiden Australian Open ultimate after she shocked world quantity 2 Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8) on Rod Laver Enviornment on the finish of a tense two hours and 32 minutes of conflict. The No. 19 seed saved one match level en path to reaching her second Grand Slam ultimate of her profession, the earlier being within the 2017 US Open.
USA’s Madison Keys reacts to some extent in opposition to Poland’s Iga Swiatek throughout their girls’s singles semi-final match on day twelve of the Australian Open tennis match in Melbourne on January 23(AFP)
Keys was on the point of defeat when Swiatek served for the match at 6-5 within the third set and was some extent away from ending it at 40-30. However the Pole despatched a backhand into the web there, after which received damaged by double-faulting, sending the match to a concluding first-to-10, win-by-two tiebreaker.
Earlier, Keys made a dominating begin to the match as she broke Swiatek within the opening recreation — the primary time the Pole had dropped her serve because the first spherical – and thus started a curler coaster first set the place each struggled for management. Three breaks every have been exchanged earlier than Swiatek transformed her second set level after 49 minutes.
Nevertheless, the world quantity two was removed from convincing, and the second set noticed a large turnaround. Keys surged again in scorching vogue, breaking Swiatek 4 occasions, unleashing three large aces in a single recreation, as she took it to a deciding third set the place she saved a match level earlier than lastly getting over the road.
The American, who’s assured a return to the highest 10 in WTA rankings, has now received 11 matches in a row because the begin of the season, which incorporates her ninth profession title in Adelaide every week earlier than the Melbourne Slam. That is now her best-ever profession run, bettering her earlier file of a 10-match streak in 2022. She had received the Adelaide title then as nicely, earlier than falling to Ashleigh Barty within the Australian Open semifinal.
Keys will face two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka within the ultimate on Saturday on the Melbourne Park. The Belarusian leads the head-to-head file 4-1, the place all wins have been on the hardcourt, two of which have been on the Grand Slam. Keys’ solely win in opposition to the 26-year-old got here within the second spherical of Berlin 2021 on grass.
Earlier within the night, world no. 1 Sabalenka moved one win away from turning into the primary lady since 1999 to win three consecutive Australian Open titles as she bounced again from a sluggish begin to beat good good friend Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2.