Australian Open: Madison Keys Upsets World No. 2 Iga Świątek to Set Up Final Clash with Aryna Sabalenka
Australian Open: Madison Keys Upsets World No. 2 Iga Świątek to Set Up Final Clash with Aryna Sabalenka
In a thrilling Australian Open semifinal, American Madison Keys staged a stunning comeback to defeat world No. 2 Iga Świątek, securing a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8) victory and earning a spot in the final against Aryna Sabalenka.The first set saw a fierce exchange, featuring seven service breaks between No. 19 seed Keys and Świątek. The Polish star ultimately edged ahead, breaking Keys for the fourth time to take the lead.
Keys responded emphatically in the second set, dominating Świątek by breaking her serve in every game to level the match.The deciding set delivered high drama, with Keys and Świątek locked at 5-5. Świątek then broke Keys’ serve to go up 6-5 and had a match point at 40-30 but failed to convert, missing the chance to reach her first Australian Open final.
With the match extending to a 10-point championship tie-break, Świątek led for most of it and was just two points from victory at 8-7. However, Keys unleashed a series of powerful shots to win the final three points, sealing a dramatic 10-8 triumph and reaching her first Grand Slam final since the 2017 US Open.
Overwhelmed by her achievement, Keys expressed her disbelief in her on-court interview:
“I’m still trying to process everything,” she said, spinning her fingers around her head. “Umm… yeah… I’m in the final!”
Awaiting her in the title match is world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who remains on course for a historic third consecutive Australian Open title after defeating No. 11 seed and close friend Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 in the other semifinal.
Sabalenka, aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-1999) to win three straight Australian Open crowns, briefly stumbled in her quarterfinal against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, dropping a set for the first time in Melbourne since the 2023 final. However, she returned to her dominant form against Badosa.
The match began with a surprise as Sabalenka suffered an early service break, allowing Badosa to take a 2-0 lead. But the Belarusian quickly regained control, winning four consecutive games to seize the opening set, sealing it with a powerful ace.
In the second set, Sabalenka was at her ruthless best, winning five straight games after the first to take a commanding lead. Badosa had no answers, and Sabalenka closed out the match in dominant fashion.
The two close friends shared a heartfelt embrace at the net and later chatted and laughed together in the players’ gym.
“I hope she’s still my friend,” Sabalenka joked in her post-match interview. “I’m sure she’ll hate me for the next hour or day or two, but that’s okay. I can handle it. After that, we’ll go back to being friends, shopping, and hanging out. Paula, if you’re watching, I promise I’ll pay for whatever you want!”
Sabalenka now stands on the brink of history, hoping to join the legendary ranks of Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, and Hingis as a three-time consecutive Australian Open champion.
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