Near misses in major matches have haunted Madison Keys in the past.
Today, pinching third-set pressure compelled Keys to a forward finish.
A streaking Keys subdued Elina Svitolina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 surging into her third Australian Open semifinal with her 10th straight win.
There was a time when Keys confronted Grand Slam pressure by pulling the trigger prematurely on her damaging drives—often suffering self-inflicted wounds in the process.
Today, Keys showed a much more mature attacking game.
Facing a sniper Svitolina return game, Keys won 23 of 26 net points and more than doubled Svitolina’s winner output, smacking 49 winners to 20 for the Ukrainian.
“I felt like I just had to start playing more aggressive and try to get to the net a little bit quicker,” Keys told Casey Dellacqua in her on-court interview afterward. “She was controlling a lot of the points and making me run.
“So I felt like I needed to try to get on the advantage a little bit quicker. Luckily, I was able to do that.”
A decade after Keys advanced to her maiden AO semifinal, she stands one win from a trip to her first AO final.
The 29-year-old Keys raised her 2025 record to a WTA-best 12-1, including a 6-0 mark in three-setters this season, and returns to the Top 10 with today's triumph.
Keys will try to keep riding this winning wave facing either world No. 2 Iga Swiatek or her friend and compatriot, Emma Navarro for a spot in Saturday’s final. Should the eighth-ranked Navarro beat Swiatek, it would set up the first all-American Slam semifinal since Keys played Sloane Stephens in the 2018 Roland Garros final four.
Three Americans started today aiming for semifinal spots—Keys said she’ll shift from athlete to audience watching her compatriots work later today.
“I’m really excited to go and get to watch Emma and Ben [Shelton] later today,” Keys said. “I think Emma and Iga is going to be a really competitive match.
“Emma has been playing just marathon matches that I’ve been living and dying over. I’m kind of hoping for my own nerves that it’s not live or die marathon match again. Excited to watch Ben play another match. It’s really a great group of Americans. It’s always nice to have friends who are traveling this crazy circus.”
Contesting her 44th major, Svitolina advanced to her first AO semifinal where she will face either five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek or eighth-seeded American Emma Navarro for a spot in Saturday’s final.
Former world No. 3 Svitolina bunted a short volley holding for 2-1.
Ten minutes into the match, Keys cranked an ace down the T for a love hold to level after four games.
Svitolina saved a couple of break points in challenging hold that spanned nearly seven minutes for 3-2.
Playing with strapping round her left thigh, Kens confronted the high early afternoon sun in the sixth game. Squinting up at the sun, Keys cracked a couple of forehand winners down the line to level.
Thirty minutes into the quarterfinal, Svitolina sent some flat returns down the line to gain double break point. Keys ballooned a forehand beyond the baseline as Svitolina broke for 5-3.
Sliding an ace short in the box brought Svitolina triple set point. On her second set point, Svitolina coaxed Keys’ 15th unforced error to take a one-set lead after 33 minutes.
Svitolina played a cleaner set committing just four unforced errors and repeatedly dragged Keys wide serving into the deuce side. The Ukrainian reeled off 12 of the last 15 points to build a one-set lead.
Three-time quarterfinalist Svitolina was 65-1 in her last 66 major matches when winning the first set.
The 2017 US Open finalist Keys earned two more break points in the fourth game, but Svitolina staved off both as Keys bashed a backhand return into the bottom of the net on the second break point.
On the third break point, Svitolina ran down a dropper, stuck her racquet out and played a slick reflex volley off her hip to deny it.
Though Svitolina was hitting sub 70 mph second serves at times, Keys’ backhand return let her down on pivotal points. Svitolina stood firm for 2-all and raised a clenched fist toward her coach, Andrew Bettles, and husband, Gael Monfils sitting in the coaching pod.
Ripping a forehand return down the line, Keys threw down a smash earning double break point for the third time in the match.
Assertive net play propelled Keys in this comeback.
On her second break point, Keys was inside the baseline when she banged her forehand down the line scoring her first break of the day for 4-2.
A relaxed Keys cruised through a quick hold consolidating for 5-2. Serving for the second set, Keys buzzed a backhand winner down the line for two set points.
On her second set point, Keys hammered a heavy drive drawing the error to force a decider after 76 minutes of play. Keys cracked 20 winners—13 more than Svitolina—in the second set.
A trip to the semifinals was riding on one set and Keys imposed her net skills blocking a high backhand volley followed by a forehand strike for double break point in the fifth game.
Knowing Svitolina served almost exclusively wide on the ad side under pressure, Keys was waiting and ready. Turning her shoulders and hips, Keys crunched a backhand return winner, breaking for a 2-1 lead.
The confidence Keys excluded was evident on her weaker backhand wing. Dragging her opponent into the doubles alley with the wide serve, Keys stepped up and smacked her two-hander down the line holding for 5-3.
In the opening set, Keys bashed too many backhands into net, but by the decider she was using spin, getting more net clearance and making the Ukrainian run.
Gulping deep breaths of air, Keys found her first serve when she needed it to wrap up a one hour, 53-minute victory.
Credit Keys for actively embracing change ahead of this 2025 season—and shifting her strategy today.
The newly-married Keys switched from her long-time Wilson Blade to a new Yonex stick in an effort to gain more spin and control over her heavy drive and is playing with polyester strings for easier access to spin.
The biggest change, of course, has come from within. Keys has played with more controlled aggression in an inspired run that saw her knock off 2021 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina.
Ten years ago, Keys was a big blaster. Now, she’s a more complete player and that has made all the difference.
“I think I play a little bit smarter, for sure. Probably a little bit less fearless,” Keys said. “But to be here in the semifinals again 10 years later, I’m really proud of myself. And I’m really excited to play another semifinal here in Melbourne.”