Madison Keys upsets Iga Swiatek to reach first Australian Open final, faces Aryna Sabalenka
American Keys, the 19th seed, will meet the Belarusian double defending champion, who beat ‘soulmate’ Paulo Badosa in the earlier semi-final
Madison Keys fought back from a set down on Thursday to shock Iga Swiatek and reach her first Australian Open final, where she will face two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
The 19th seed powered through a thrilling semi-final on a final-set tiebreak against the world No 2 from Poland 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 after defending champion Sabalenka put her close friendship with Paula Badosa aside Thursday to sweep past the Spaniard into a third successive Australian Open final.
Five-time grand slam champion Swiatek had not dropped her serve since the first round but was broken eight times by Keys, who saved a match point on her way to edging a see-sawing, marathon battle in two hours and 35 minutes.
It is the American’s first final in Melbourne.
It was the first time ever an Australian Open semi-final had been decided by a third-set 10-point tiebreak.
Earlier, the Belarusian world No 1 came home 6-4, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena and has now won 20 straight matches at the Australian Open to close in on a third consecutive crown – something that has not happened this century.
