By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Thursday, January 23, 2025
Photo credit: Hannah Peters/Getty
Iga Swiatek had all the answers rampaging through this Australian Open field dropping serve just twice en route to the semifinals.
Tonight, a bold Madison Keys confounded Swiatek at crunch time saving match point to spark a thrilling 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8) comeback win and reach the Australian Open semifinals.
Happy Warrior: Keys Shocks Swiatek for First AO Final
It’s the second time in three years Swiatek’s Australian Open dreams were punctured by a powerful American.
Feisty Danielle Collins crushed Swiatek 6-4, 6-1 in the 2022 AO semifinals dispensing one of the worst thrashings of the former world No. 1’s glorious Grand Slam career.
In that semifinal, Collins beat Swiatek up with her backhand.
Tonight, Keys imposed her forehand with some stunning strikes down the line at crunch time.
Stumbling in past major moments because she pulled the trigger prematurely, tonight Keys wielded power with patience. Often, Keys waited for the right ball then let it rip with that flame-thrower forehand.
At times, Keys unleashed wrecking ball returns right back at Swiatek, even knocking her back to her knees to repel the weight of the ball into her hip.
Afterward, Swiatek cited two key strokes to the 29-year-old American’s comeback win:
1. Keys hit bigger and played braver on critical points.
2. Keys won more free points on serve.
Though Swiatek hit her second serve harder and won more second-serve points, Keys cracked seven aces against four double faults. In contrast, Swiatek had no aces and seven double faults.
The fact this was a night match and the Rod Laver Arena retractable roof was closed during the match created better serving conditions for Keys, who adopted a step-up serve motion this season and is getting more juice on the first serve switching to a lighter Yonex stick from her heavier Blade racquet.
Indoor conditions also sapped some of the sting and height from Swiatek’s topspin forehand. Keys, who can still hit one of the biggest forehands in the sport when her feet are set, continously rushed Swiatek’s forehand wing, sometimes cornered her on that side before unleashing the forehand down the line.
“I think maybe I would have won it sometimes if I could win easy points with my serve as she did kind of,” Swiatek said. “She could always come back from being in trouble with the serve, but I didn’t serve as well. So maybe that would make a difference.
“It was tight from the beginning. The second set for sure, like, it was something that I just wanted to forget about and get back to my game…
“Still, I think I played good, but she played better. I did everything I could. I wouldn’t say, like, I flopped or, I don’t know, I should have won it.”
Throughout her career, Keys was often cast as an explosive yet erratic talent, who lacked the killer instinct and sprayed shots all over the place on pivotal points.
Playing with a new Yonex racquet, new polyester strings, a new step-up serve and renewed confidence, Keys has posted a WTA-best 13-1 record, including a perfect 7-0 mark in three setters.
Tonight, Keys played with more poise.
When Swiatek held match point at 6-5, a fearless Keys rocketed a forehand return right back at her to save it.
Ultimately, Swiatek blinked and double faulted. Her sixth double faulted gifted the game, propelling this drama into a 10-point match tiebreaker.
Down 7-8 in the breaker, Keys slashed an ace then ripped forehands to break down Swiatek’s forehand and close her biggest win.
“So what made the difference? Like, this match was long, so it had many different changes of momentum and many different moments that I could describe,” Swiatek said. “I guess at the end Madison, like, was kind of brave with her decisions, and she pushed me when she needed to.
“Yeah, I would say I wasn’t feeling as free as on previous matches to also push in the important moments.”
