Madison Keys has secured her place in the Australian Open final with a sensational comeback win over world number two Iga Świątek. The 19th seed triumphed 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(10/8) in a match that will be remembered as one of the tournament’s finest.
Keys will now face world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who powered into her third consecutive Australian Open final with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory over Paula Badosa earlier in the day.
The semifinal between Keys and Świątek was a dramatic battle, with the American rallying after losing the first set. Keys dominated the second set and displayed incredible resilience in the decider, saving a match point and holding her nerve in a tense tiebreak.
“In the third set, it was so up and down, and there were so many big points,” Keys said after the match. “I feel like I blacked out at some point. But I just kept fighting and managed to take it to a tiebreak for an extra dramatic finish.”
The match featured multiple twists and turns, with eight of the first 13 games going against serve. Świątek, aiming for her first Australian Open final, appeared poised for victory when she broke for 6-5 in the final set and earned a match point. However, Keys fought back to force a tiebreak, where she overcame a 5-7 deficit and sealed the win after two hours and 35 minutes.
Świątek, visibly emotional as she exited the court, was gracious in defeat, while Keys reflected on the significance of reaching her first Grand Slam final since the 2017 US Open.
With this victory, Keys not only denied Świątek a shot at the Australian Open title but also set the stage for an exciting clash against word number 1 and defending champion, Sabalenka in the final.
