The Madison Keys were on the ropes, but advanced to the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday.
No. 28 Elina Svitolina was first hit against the 12th seed key, but the Keys secured a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in the first runner-up match of the day at Rod Laver Arena. The Keys’ victory follows the quarterfinals of third-seeded American Coco Gouf on Tuesday, who pissed off Spanish 11 different Paula Badosas.
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Next is Keys’ second seed Iga Swiatek. He cruised past number 8 seed Emmanavaro in the quarterfinals for the other women, ruining his chances in the national semi-finals. Swiatek broke Navarro with the opening serve of the match, setting the tone of a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Keys gather and calm down after an unforced error
Keys and Svitorina played early as each player served on their way to Svitorina’s 4-3 lead. However, as Svitolina scored the first break in the match to get a 5-3 lead, it ultimately caused an error that wasn’t caught up in the key. Svitorina then joined the set and won 6-3.
The keys committed 15 forced errors in the opening set, and in the case of Subitrina, there were only four. However, the Keys regained their composure in the second set and raised the game.
Keys first faced the chance to seize control in the second set with three breakpoints in the fourth game of the set. However, Svitolina won the game, thwarting Keys’ best efforts to that point, and changing the match with her favor.
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However, Keys took advantage of Subitrina’s next serve. She had two breakpoints and sent a forehand to the correct line, which Svitrina won the first break of the match and failed to reach in time to get a 4-2 set lead. She held Serv in a 6-3 victory from there, sending the match into the decisive third set.
So the Keys first took a 3-2 lead with Svitrina’s break. Svitorina did not return a break and key held to secure a serve match.
The 29-year-old Keys will advance to the semi-finals in search of her first Grand Slam title and a second final after losing to Sloan Stevens in the 2017 US Open Finals. This is her third time moving forward after the Melbourne quarterfinals.
