Madison Keys digs deep to overcome Elina Svitolina and reach Australian Open semis

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Madison Keys continued her spectacular start to the 2025 season as she recovered from a set down to return to the semi-finals of the Australian Open with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over 27th seed Elina Svitolina.

After struggling in the second half of the 2024 season, when injuries forced her to retire from the fourth round of Wimbledon, Keys has started the year performing at an exceptional level and she is now on a 10-match winning streak after claiming the Adelaide Open title 11 days ago. Her run has included six top-20 wins and two other top-30 wins.

Keys’ victory also marks her seventh grand slam semi-final and her third in Melbourne after making her first career grand slam semi-final at the 2015 Australian Open before returning to the stage in 2022. Her best grand slam result came in 2017 when she reached the US Open final, losing to her close friend Sloane Stephens.

“I think I play a little bit smarter, for sure. Probably a little bit less fearless though,” said Keys of her development over the past decade. “To be here, 10 years later in the semi-finals again, I’m really proud of myself and really excited to play another semi-final in Melbourne.”

Svitolina had started the match in brilliant form, putting Keys, the 19th seed, under constant pressure by absorbing her pace, maintaining excellent depth and looking for opportunities to attack. But Keys is one of the biggest ball-strikers in the history of the sport and she is so difficult to stop when in full flow. After finding rhythm on her serve, Keys gradually began to dominate the baseline exchanges with controlled, destructive ballstriking off both wings. She finished an imperious performance with 49 winners.

“I felt like I just had to start playing a little bit more aggressive and try to get to the net a little bit quicker,” said Keys. “She was controlling a lot of the points and making me run. I felt like I needed to try and get on the advantage a little bit quicker. Luckily I was able to do that.”

As she looks to reach her second grand slam final, Keys will next face the winner of the final women’s quarter-final between her compatriot Emma Navarro and the No 2 seed Iga Swiatek.

“I’m really excited to go and get to watch Emma and Ben [Shelton] later today.” said Keys. “I think Emma and Iga is going to be a really competitive match. Emma has been playing marathon matches that I’ve been living and dying over. I’m hoping for my own nerves that it’s not a live-or-die marathon match again. And then I’m excited to watch Ben play another match. It’s a really great group of Americans.”

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