Iga Swiatek has been beaten by Madison Keys in a third set tie-break in their Australian Open semi-final.
Swiatek was criticised for her actions against Keys earlier on in the match, as she looked to reach her first final in Melbourne.
This was the second consecutive match that Swiatek had been involved in controversy, but for different reasons than her quarter-final with Emma Navarro.
Despite all of this, Swiatek found herself with a match point in the latter stages of the deciding set.
However, she was unable to convert that match point and Swiatek could not show her usual intensity to close out the semi-final.
This is something that was picked up on by 2004 Australian Open champion Justine Henin, who believes that Swiatek was afraid of the pressure that Keys was putting on her.
“We talk about Iga. I think she got tactically not in the right position in that match,” Henin said on Eurosport. “She was scared of the fact Madison would put pressure on her.
On hard we know she can be rushed and I think she has been rushed a lot. She was scared I think of that match and she had match point, she could go to her first final here, it’s a big disappointment. For Madison Keys, wow, we could not expect that and she is going to face the biggest challenge she could face here.”
Keys is known for her powerful game and was able to hit a total of 36 winners past the five-time Grand Slam winner.
As a result, Keys has made history after reaching her second Grand Slam final and first at the Australian Open.
Swiatek has become very good in tight moments over her journey to the top of the WTA rankings.
This was showcased last year, when Swiatek beat Aryna Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final by saving three match points.
Before her defeat to Keys in the Australian Open semi-final, Swiatek had not lost a deciding set-tie break since her match with Jelena Ostapenko in Dubai three years ago.
This is part of Swiatek and Ostapenko’s surprising head-to-head, with the Latvian still yet to lose a match against the world number two.
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Jake MichaelsJan 24, 2025, 12:33 AM ETCloseJake Michaels is a Melbourne-based sports writer. He has been with ESPN since 2013, covering everything from AFL to F
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