Author: Richard Pagliaro @Nowtennis | Thursday, January 23, 2025
Photo credit: Hannah Peters/Getty
Iga Swiatek All answers at this Australian Open, conceding just twice en route to the semi-finals.
Tonight, be bold Madison Keys At the critical moment, Swiatek saved the match point and made a thrilling comeback with 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8) to advance to the Australian Open semi-finals.
Happy warrior: Keys hits Swiatek and participates in AO finals for the first time
This is the second time in three years that Swiatek’s Australian Open dream has been shattered by a powerful American player.
Feisty Danielle Collins In the 2022 AO semi-finals, she defeated Swiatek 6-4, 6-1, the worst defeat in the former world No. 1’s illustrious Grand Slam career.
In that semifinal, Collins defeated Swiatek with a backhand.
Keys hit some amazing shots tonight with his forehand in key moments.
Having stumbled from big moments in the past by pulling the trigger too early, Keys wielded the power patiently tonight. Typically, Keys would wait for the right ball and then tear it apart with a flamethrower forehand.
Sometimes the wrecking ball Keys unleashes will come right back to Swiatek, even knocking her to the ground to push the weight of the ball into her hips.
Later, Swiatek listed two key points for the 29-year-old American’s comeback victory:
1. Press buttons at key points to hit the ball with greater force and perform more bravely.
2. Keith won more free points on his serve.
While Swiatek hit her second serve harder and won more second serve points, Keys hit seven aces on four double faults. In comparison, Swiatek had no aces and seven double faults.
The fact that it was a night game and the retractable roof of Rod Laver Arena was closed during the game created better conditions for Keys’ serve, which he has adopted this season, and Gained more power on the first serve, switching to the lighter Yonex away from her heavier Blade racquet.
Indoor conditions also took away some of the sting and height from Swiatek’s forehand topspin. Keys can still hit one of the biggest forehands in the sport when she’s timed on her feet, constantly darting to the flank of Swiatek’s forehand, sometimes forcing her over there before driving her forehand to the baseline .
“I thought if I could score off the serve as easily as she does, maybe I could win the match sometimes,” Swiatek said. “She always bounces back from her serve troubles, but my serve isn’t that good. So maybe that will make a difference.
“It was nerve-wracking from the beginning. Of course, the second set, it was like, this is something I just want to forget and get back to my game…
“Still, I think I played well, but she played better. I did everything I could. I’m not going to say, like, I failed or, I don’t know, I should have won.”
Throughout her career, Keys was often portrayed as an explosive but inconsistent talent who lacked a killer instinct and shot all over the place in key spots.
With a new Yonex racquet, new polyester strings, a new boosted serve and renewed confidence, Keys posted a WTA-best 13-1 record, including a perfect 7-0 among three setters. point.
Tonight, Keys played with more composure.
When Swiatek held match point at 6-5, the fearless Keys saved the score with a forehand return.
Eventually, Swiatek blinked and double-faulted. Her sixth double fault brought flair to the match, sending a dramatic match into a 10-point final.
Trailing 7-8 on the break, Keys hit an ace and then ripped Swiatek’s forehand to cap off her biggest victory.
“So what made the difference? Like, this game was long, so it had a lot of different dynamic changes and a lot of different moments that I could describe,” Swiatek said. “I think in the end Madison was kind of brave with her decision and she pushed me when she needed to.
“Yeah, I would say I didn’t feel as free as I did in previous games to be able to push in the big moments.”
