Tag: semifinal

Another huge moment! Keys lands her serve on the T line but Swiatek gets the return back. Keys looks as though she wasn’t expecting it and is drawn into a backhand rally which ends with her lifting the ball too long.

A better backhanded effort results in another winner for Keys and she remains one point behind Swiatek.

Swiatek has a couple of serves though. Yet, she can’t press the advantage. Keys defends and waits for Swiatek to force the play. The Pole looks to switch and finds the net.

Swiatek moves back into the lead with two incredible volleys from the net. The second of which is superb with a low lunge to her right.

Big miss! Keys looks to unload on a forehand and wildly sends the ball out of play.

She then faults on her first serve and Swiatek drills back a backhand. Keys’s return lands on the baseline and Swiatek awkwardly lifts the ball out of play.

The Pole still has a slight advantage and that improves as Keys is forced to run across the court. Her attempted forehand lands in the net.

Swiatek’s next serve attacked and Keys looks comfortable. She drills a forehand down the line and closes the gap once more.

Chance! Keys pushes a backhand into the top of the net. If that shot had got over she would have scored a winner.

Swiatek then clips the net from a return of serve but the ball lands on her side of court.

From her own serves, the Pole wins the first rally with a lovely backhanded switch of direction.

From the second one Swiatek forces Keys onto the defensive but messes up with a drop shot. Keys gets across and scores a passing winner.

Serving is so important in tie breaks like these.

Swiatek wins the first point against the serve then double faults.

She shakes that off to land a first serve that Keys drills into the net.

At deuce this is anyone’s game.

Madison Keys strikes first with a blistering return of serve that Iga Swiatek knocks into the net.

Swiatek’s response is to serve down the T but she misses her mark. Her second serve hits the net and bounces out!

Keys gets the break of serve.

This match will be decided by a 10-point tie break.

Iga Swiatek didn’t hold her own serve at all in the second set, she hasn’t been broken in the third.

A hold of serve now sends her through to the Australian Open final.

Swiatek starts positively. She lands the first serve and comes forward to place a volley from the net.

Keys then goes after the next serve and forces an error as Swiatek sends the ball long.

Again Swiatek serves to the forehand but Keys drills it into the net this time.

Incredible! Keys gets a backhand return in play then dominates the rally. She doesn’t hesitate on a cross court forehand and lands the ball on the baseline!

However, it’s Swiatek who sets up match point as Keys finds the net with another backhand.

Swiatek serves into the middle of the box. Keys strikes a forehand back and Swiatek goes into the net.

Madison Keys seems to have decided her forehand is the best weapon. She looks for the sideline but sends it a touch too wide.

Swiatek then charges forward to double her advantage. She meets the ball on the volley and smokes it past Keys to move 0-30 up.

Keys then double faults and has work to do to save these break points. There are three of them.

A superb serve and return helps her save the first one.

Swiatek dances on the spot but a serve down the T forces a simple return which Keys dispatches. Two saved.

There’s the break! Keys comes forward and slices over a drop shot. Swiatek reads it early and sprints up court before rolling her wrist over a forehand and scoring a passing winner!

Swiatek will serve for the match.

This battle is everything you want from a semi-final.

Iga Swiatek is serving to stay in the match. She forces Keys wide then comes forward with a fine forehand that earns her the point.

Her joy is short lived as a backhand down the line is pushed too wide and Keys draws level in the game.

Keys goes on the attack. She mullers a return of serve then steps into court and drives a forehand into space to win the point.

A second attempt to power in a forehand goes wrong though and Swiatek is thankful for the error.

Out comes the fist pump. This time it’s for Swiatek who forces Keys behind the baseline and running side-to-side. Keys is too far away to get a stretching forehand over the net and Swiatek moves ahead.

Hold! Keys fails to drop a volley over the net and these women cannot be separated.

Oh wow! A battling rally sees both women on top then under pressure.

Swiatek takes the point but misses out on the break as Keys falls back on her power.

Two rallies later she’s got the opportunity to hold and does so as Swiatek goes wide.

“Come on!” she yells.

That game may have given Swiatek a boost. She steps into court and attacks Keys’ forehand doing enough to take the first point.

The second point goes her way as well as Keys’s backhand effort goes long.

Oh no! The errors keep coming from Keys who hooks a forehand wide of play and leaves Swiatek with three break points.

Swiatek looks for the baseline corner with a whipped forehand but gets the angle slightly wrong and Keys saves the first point.

Keys saves the second with a wide serve and a follow up driving volley.

She saves the third as Swiatek finds the net!