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.
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
The 19th seed Keys finished the match in tears after holding her nerve during a see-sawing match tiebreak to reach her second career Grand Slam final — and first in more than seven years.
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’ second career Grand Slam final will be her first in more than seven years. Source: AAP, SIPA USA / Mike Frey
‘I feel like I blacked out’
“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.”
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.
“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.”
Aryna Sabalenka defeated longtime friend Paula Badosa on Thursday night. Source: AAP, ABACA / Dubreuil Corinne/PA
Sabalenka, who has now won 20 consecutive matches at Melbourne Park, fired 32 winners to Badosa’s 11, wrapping up the match in one hour and 26 minutes.
The pair shared a warm embrace at the net, and Sabalenka said she planned to treat her friend with her winnings.