Madison Keys pulled off a dramatic 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) victory over World No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the Australian Open semifinal Thursday night, saving a match point and securing her spot in a Grand Slam final for the first time since 2017. The 29-year-old American, seeded 19th, now faces World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, in Saturday’s final.
“I’m still trying to catch up to everything that’s happening,” Keys said after her comeback win, which included a tiebreaker where Swiatek had been one point away from victory while serving at 6-5, 40-30. Swiatek missed a backhand and later double-faulted, opening the door for Keys to win in stunning fashion.
Keys won more games in the semifinal than Swiatek had dropped in her five previous matches combined. Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, admitted the match came down to small margins, saying, “It was a matter of one or two balls. Madison was kind of brave.”
Sabalenka, who defeated Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 earlier Thursday, is chasing her third consecutive Australian Open title and can become the first woman since 1999 to achieve the feat. She holds a 4-1 record against Keys, including a victory in the 2023 U.S. Open semifinals.
Meanwhile, organizers announced that China will host the Billie Jean King Cup Finals from 2025-27 in Shenzhen, moving the tournament from Spain. This marks a significant return for high-profile tennis events to China after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over Peng Shuai’s safety in 2021.
Source: Swifteradio.com
