In a thrilling semifinal at the 2025 Australian Open, Madison Keys overcame World No. 2 Iga Świątek with a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(10-8) victory, securing her spot in the final against Aryna Sabalenka.
We all knew Madison Keys had the game, but today she took it up another notch. In 2025, she has already defeated seven top-20 players out of 11 opponents! What makes this even more remarkable is the new racket she’s wielding this season. Every shot she hits in 2025 is infused with such confidence that it allowed her to elevate the speed of the ball and her performance even further against World No. 2 Iga Swiatek.
First Set: A Battle of Breaks
The opening set was a rollercoaster, with neither Madison Keys nor Iga Swiatek able to consistently hold serve. Both players struggled to establish control on their service games, leading to a series of breaks that kept the set evenly poised. Keys used her powerful forehand to create opportunities, while Swiatek relied on her exceptional defense and ability to turn points around from seemingly impossible positions. Despite the lack of rhythm on serve, Swiatek capitalized on a crucial break late in the set to gain the upper hand. Her consistency and ability to find deep, angled shots under pressure allowed her to edge past Keys and secure the set 7-5, setting the tone for an intense match.
Second Set: Keys’ Resurgence
Keys responded emphatically in the second set, dominating with powerful groundstrokes and consistent serving. She broke Świątek multiple times, taking the set 6-1 and leveling the match. Swiatek appeared out of sorts, while Madison Keys played with immense confidence, striking winners from all corners of the court. Swiatek seemed unsettled by the American’s relentless pace and could not find her rhythm, allowing Keys to level the match and take the momentum.
Third Set: Full of drama, culminating in a super tiebreak
The deciding set was a nail-biter, with both players refusing to give an inch. Keys and Swiatek held their serves in a tightly contested set that saw breathtaking rallies and high-stakes tennis. Swiatek showcased her defensive skills to save break points, while Keys’ aggressive play kept her in the hunt. Yet, it all became a question of who would crack first.
It seemed to be Iga.
At 3-4 behind and trailing 15-40 the moment was there for the American to break the Polish superwoman. Madison Keys failed to do so and 4-all it went.
Then came game 9 with Keys serving. She immediately stared at 0-40 behind. This time it was Swiatek who could not convert the breakpoints, not even a fourth one coming from deuce. 5-4. Again Madison leading.
In this stage though it seemed that Iga Swiatek slightly had more belief than Keys. She won her service game easy and again she was able to get to a 40-0 advantage against serve. The seventh breakpoint over Keys’ last 2 service games turned out to be the good one. 5-6 Swiatek.
At 5-6 behind against serve Madison Keys looked to be hanging in the ropes. The 0-15 brought hope, as did 15-30 but when the breakpoint wasn’t taken at 30-40 for deuce her chances seemed slim. Yet, she found a way thanks to some exceptional returns to make it 6-6.
A deciding super tiebreak scoreline captures the intense drama—let’s relive it point by point
0-1: Swiatek breaks serve as Keys’ forehand clips the netband and lands out.
1-1: Swiatek double faults on her backhand side, giving Keys the break back.
1-2: Keys misses an easy backhand through the middle, handing the point to Swiatek.
1-3: Another backhand miss from Keys sees Swiatek break again, and it feels like Keys might crack.
2-3: Swiatek’s forehand return clips the netband and falls back on her side, keeping Keys close.
2-4: Swiatek wins a rally by retrieving every ball and forcing an error.
3-4: Swiatek gets Keys into her backhand corner, but Keys escapes with a sliced cross-court shot that Swiatek retrieves at the net. Keys then fires a fierce forehand winner, bumping her fist in relief.
3-5: On Keys’ second serve, Swiatek sends her back into the backhand corner. Keys escapes but overhits a forehand. She smiles despite the rare error.
4-5: Keys narrowly misses an ace down the T. On the second serve, she unleashes a forehand close to Swiatek’s baseline, forcing the Pole to overhit a backhand.
4-6: Keys attempts a running forehand winner but sends it out. Swiatek remains focused and inches closer.
5-6: Swiatek engages in a forehand battle, but Keys surprises her with a shot to the backhand corner. Swiatek is caught off guard, and Keys denies the three-point lead again.
5-7: Swiatek grinds through a rally and forces an error from Keys. This is her fourth chance to extend the lead, but she cannot seal it.
6-7: After the second changeover, Swiatek becomes slightly passive, allowing Keys to take control and hit a backhand winner down the line.
7-7: Another passive rally from Swiatek ends with a netted backhand. All level in Melbourne Park.
7-8: Keys fires a thunderous forehand, but Swiatek’s exceptional volley at the net steals the point. Swiatek shouts, convinced this could be the key moment.
8-8: Keys hits an ace to stay alive. The crowd roars.
9-8: A serve out wide from Keys barely touches Swiatek’s racket, giving Keys her first lead in the tiebreak after 17 points.
10-8: On match point, Swiatek serves to Keys’ body. Keys steps to her left, returning with a forehand to Swiatek’s backhand. Swiatek sends a low, short backhand in reply. Keys stays composed, directing a controlled forehand to Swiatek’s backhand corner. After a final exchange, Swiatek’s forehand sails out.
Madison Keys releases a big smile, heads to the net for a handshake, then kneels down, leaning on her racket with her cap in hand, overcome with emotion as the stadium erupts.
Post-Match Reflections
This victory propels Keys into her first Australian Open final and her second Grand Slam final overall, the first since the 2017 U.S. Open. She will face World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who is aiming for her third consecutive Australian Open title.
Keys’ performance throughout the tournament, including this hard-fought win over Świątek, underscores her resilience and determination. As she prepares to face Sabalenka, fans can anticipate a compelling final between two formidable competitors.
Match stats Madison Keys vs Iga Swiatek
| Key Stats | Keys | Swiatek |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.11 | 0.90 |
| Winners | 36 | 22 |
| Unforced Errors | 41 | 40 |
| Serve Rating | 229 | 207 |
| Aces | 7 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 4 | 7 |
| 1st Serve % | 69% (73/106) | 70% (73/105) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 64% (47/73) | 53% (39/73) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 33% (11/33) | 41% (13/32) |
| Break Points Saved | 63% (10/16) | 50% (8/16) |
| Service Games | 60% (9/15) | 50% (8/16) |
| Ace % | 6.6% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 3.8% | 6.7% |
| Return Rating | 206 | 181 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 47% (34/73) | 36% (26/73) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 59% (19/32) | 67% (22/33) |
| Break Points Won | 50% (8/16) | 38% (6/16) |
| Return Games | 50% (8/16) | 40% (6/15) |
| Pressure Points | 56% (18/32) | 44% (14/32) |
| Service Points | 55% (58/106) | 50% (52/105) |
| Return Points | 50% (53/105) | 45% (48/106) |
| Net Points | 68% (13/19) | 72% (18/25) |
| Total Points | 53% (111/211) | 47% (100/211) |
| Match Points Saved | 1 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 9 | 7 |
| Service Games Won | 60% (9/15) | 50% (8/16) |
| Return Games Won | 50% (8/16) | 40% (6/15) |
| Total Games Won | 55% (17/31) | 45% (14/31) |
| Max Games In A Row | 5 | 4 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |