Madison Keys outlines the biggest strengths in Iga Swiatek’s game ahead of their Australian Open semi-final clash.
Following a three-set contest, Keys reached the last four at Melbourne Park for the third time after beating Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
The American is on a 10-match winning streak and she has found her form at the right time as she bids for her first Grand Slam title.
But Iga Swiatek has also upped her game and reached the Australian Open semi-finals without dropping a set. Therefore, fans can expect a thrilling contest between two of the WTA’s most in-form players on Friday.
What do Madison Keys think are the strengths in Iga Swiatek’s game?
For almost three years one of the toughest tasks for any player on the WTA Tour is to defeat Swiatek.
She once went on a 37-match winning streak and spent 125 weeks as the World number one, and won five Grand Slam titles in the process.
Swiatek is looking to return to that level and winning the Australian Open will be the perfect start. In her press conference Keys, who has just one win against the Pole from five meetings, commented on what makes her so tough to beat.
“I think Iga is tough to beat because she has a lot of spin kind of naturally on both sides. She’s a good server. She’s a good returner. She moves incredibly well,” the 19th seed said.
“I think the biggest thing that makes her so difficult to beat is because since she moves so well, if you miss your spot just slightly, she has enough time to recover, and then the point goes back to neutral.
“So I think it’s really hard to ever really get ahead in a point. I think for most of us out here, you are not really going to try to out-defend Iga.
“So then there’s just such a balance of being aggressive and trying to get her to move and going for things, but not pressing too hard and not going for anything too quickly. So I think she just does such a good job at making people start going for a little bit too much too quickly.”
Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek aim to reach first Australian Open final
For all Swiatek and Keys’ achievements in tennis, neither player has reached the Australian Open final.
Keys has reached just one major final in her career, which came at the 2017 US Open, and Swiatek has reached just one major final away from Roland Garros when she claimed the 2022 US Open crown.
But one of them will reach Saturday’s championship match when they collide inside Rod Laver Arena on Friday. Swiatek, who beat Emma Navarro to reach the semi-finals, assessed Keys’ game and what she needs to do well in Thursday’s encounter.
“She likes to also play intensely and pretty fast. You know, and she’s using her powers, especially on a faster hard court,” she told reporters. “I need to be ready for that and be proactive and also good in defense.
“I guess in the semis if you play against any opponent, they deserve to be there, so it’s going to be tough no matter what, no matter who is on the other side of the net. So I’ll do my best.”
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