Madison Keys reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the third time in her career, following a hard-fought victory over Elina Svitolina in the fourth round at Rod Laver Arena. The No. 19 seed, after losing the first set, made a remarkable comeback by winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 against Svitolina, seed No. 29.
With the victory, Keys advanced to the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time in three years, having reached that stage in 2015. The Illinois native is now one of three Americans , with Emma Navarro and Ben Shelton, to progress to the quarter-finals of this first Grand Slam tournament of the year.
In a post-match interview, Keys expressed his excitement for his compatriots who were scheduled to compete later in the day on January 22. “I’m really looking forward to seeing Emma and Ben play today. I think Emma’s match against Iga is going to be very competitive. She played marathon matches, which got on my nerves, so I “Hope for my own nerves that it won’t be another high-stakes marathon and I’m also looking forward to seeing Ben play again,” said the 29-year-old.
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Navarro faced No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek in her quarterfinal match, hoping to set up an all-American semifinal clash against Keys. However, the 23-year-old was ultimately defeated, losing 6-1, 6-2 to the five-time Grand Slam champion.
At the same time, Shelton is preparing to face Italian Lorenzo Sonego for a place in the men’s semi-final.
-Keys reflected on the camaraderie among his compatriots, noting the comfort of having friends while navigating the demands of the professional circuit. “It’s a great group of Americans, and I love being able to travel with friends who are on this adventure alongside me,” she added.
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Before her clash with Svitolina, Keys was seen as the in-form player. However, Svitolina made the first move by taking a 5-3 lead in the eighth game, concluding the first set with an ace at 6-3.
In the second set, Keys showed her resilience; a crucial forehand winner on his second break point gave him a 4-2 lead. Fresh from being crowned at the Adelaide tournament ahead of the Australian Open, she held on to her next two service games to win the set 6-4, pushing the match into a deciding set.
The start of the third set saw the two players neck and neck, but the dynamic changed in the fifth game when Keys produced a vital break to lead 3-2. By holding her serve afterward, Madison Keys moved closer to her dream of winning the Australian Open title.
