Key Points
- American Madison Keys has reached her first Australian Open grand final, facing world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
- Keys defeated No. 2 Iga Świątek in a captivating semi-final on Thursday night.
- Sabalenka, meanwhile, won against her good friend, Spaniard Paula Badosa, in her own semi-final earlier in the night.
American tennis player Madison Keys has reached her first Australian Open decider, saving a match point before completing a stunning upset of second seed Iga Świątek in a gripping semi-final battle.
Polish superstar Świątek had not dropped a set in her previous five matches this campaign and was on track early to advance in pursuit of a sixth Grand Slam title.
But a determined and gritty Keys fought back from a set down and a match point down to win 5-7 6-1 7-6 (10-8) at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday night to set up a title decider against two-time defending champion and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Madison Keys will now face No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (pictured) in the final. Source: AAP, SIPA USA / Mike Frey
"I'm still trying to catch up to everything that's happening. I'm in the finals," an emotional Keys said on-court.
"That match was just such a high level and she played so well.
"To be able to be standing here and be in the finals is absolutely amazing and I'm so excited that I get to be here on Saturday."
A raft of unforced errors hurt Keys in the opening set, but the 29-year-old found her groove in the second. It was the first set world No. 2 Świątek had dropped all tournament.
Madison Keys Source: AAP, SIPA USA / Mike Frey
'I feel like I blacked out'
Keys lost her serve at five-all in the third set and faced match point at 40-30 on Świątek's delivery, only to pull out a fine service return to save the day before going on to send the match to a tiebreak.
"The third set was so up and down, and there were so many big points," Keys said.
"I feel like I blacked out at some point, and I was just out there running around.
"At the end, I felt like we were both battling some nerves and really just pushing each other.
"It just became (about) who can get that final point and who can be a little bit better than the other one. I'm happy it was me."
In reaching the final, Keys matched her best result at a Grand Slam. The former world No. 7, who also made the last four at Melbourne Park in 2015 and 2022, was beaten by Sloane Stephens in the 2017 US Open final.
Now she's out to go one better, but faces a huge hurdle in the powerful Belarusian Sabalenka, who is aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis in the late 90s to claim three straight titles at Melbourne Park.
Sabalenka defeats Badosa
Sabalenka steam-rolled through her semi-final against Spaniard and good friend Paula Badosa earlier on Thursday night, with a 6-4 6-2 victory.
"I have goosebumps, I'm so proud of myself. I'm proud of my team, [we're] able to put ourselves in such a situation," 26-year-old Sabalenka said.
"It's a privilege. If I'm able to put my name into history, it will mean a lot. It will mean the world to me.
"First I was dreaming to win at least one Grand Slam. Now I have this opportunity. It's incredible. I'm going to go out and leave everything I have in the final."
Arena Sabalenka defeated longtime friend Paula Badosa on Thursday night. Source: AAP, ABACA / Dubreuil Corinne/PA
The top seed said it was tougher than it looked, particularly when she got off to a slow start against Badosa, who was playing in her first major semi-final.
The pair shared a warm embrace at the net, and Sabalenka said she planned to treat her friend with her winnings.
