Madison Keys Downs Iga Swiatek to Reach Australian Final
Australian Open
January 23, 2025
Madison Keys will play Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final after she edged one of the greatest Grand Slam matches in recent memory.
The brave American saved match point and played lights-out tennis to prevail 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) against hot favourite Iga Swiatek.
A smiling Madison Keys said: ‘That match was such a high level and she played so well. It was just a battle. I’m just so excited that I get to be here on Saturday.’
And we’re so excited that Madison Keys is playing well enough to be a contender later this year at Wimbledon 2025 too!
There is something extraordinary about the raised level of self-belief that Madison is enjoying this year.
She admitted: ‘Even though I lost the first set, I felt I was playing better tennis towards the end of it. I felt like I had momentum going into the second.’
But Swiatek is such a fighter that we just knew she would come storming back in the third. And the crowd soon knew they were watching an all-time classic.
‘Didn’t she have a match point?’ asked Keys through all the euphoria. ‘Just to be able to stay in it and keep fighting and turn around the tie-breaker for such a dramatic finish! Wow!
‘We were both battling for every point and pushing each other. It just came down to who could get that final point. I’m happy it was me!’
The Americans are showing amazing strength in depth and they always seem to make it to the business end of tournaments these days. Wimbledon 2025 will probably be no different!
For now we can wait for what promises to be a crunching final if both players bring their most fearless games to the party.
Madison predicted: ‘Definitely some big hitting is going to happen and she is champion. It’s going to be an exciting challenge. But the final feels a long way off right now.
‘I’m going to try to enjoy this a little bit!’ And when it sunk it, there were tears of joy.
Earlier Sabalenka got the better of Paula Badosa – even though the Spaniard won the first two games of the match.
In the end, the underdog didn’t quite have the self-belief to maintain the momentum against her friend.
Sabalenka will surely feel physically fresher than Keys after winning her semi-final 6-4, 6-2.
Madison Keys will still come out fighting against Sabalenka though – just as she will if they play each other at Wimbledon 2025.
Will you be in London for the big one? Get your Centre Court tickets from us – and be part of the history and glamour.