Defending champion Swiatek battles past Keys to make Madrid semifinals

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, despite not showing her usual dominance throughout the Mutua Madrid Open, managed to reach the semifinals. En route to the quarterfinals, she uncharacteristically lost sets to younger opponents, Alexandra Eala and Diana Shnaider.

The quarterfinal match on Wednesday brought a major surprise. Facing No. 5 seed Madison Keys, Swiatek suffered a stunning defeat in the first set, which Keys won 6-0 in just 24 minutes – a rare “bagel” against the Pole, known for her own dominant sets.

However, Swiatek, a four-time Roland Garros champion and dominant force on clay with a nearly 90% win rate, demonstrated why she holds the top ranking. Her renowned clay-court skills emerged in the subsequent sets, leading to a remarkable comeback victory with scores of 0-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Reflecting on the match in her post-match interview, Swiatek described it as “one of the weirdest matches I’ve ever played.” She commented on the first set, saying, “I didn’t feel like it was that bad. I felt the ball well — it just went super long.”

She explained her adjustment: “I tried to play a bit shorter, and with some mistakes by Maddy, the momentum changed in the end. I’m happy that I did it.”

Next Challenge: Coco Gauff

Swiatek`s victory sets up a semifinal clash on Thursday against No. 4 seed Coco Gauff. Gauff secured her spot by winning nine of the final ten games against No. 7 seed Mirra Andreeva in her quarterfinal. The head-to-head record favors Swiatek at 11-3 overall, though Gauff claimed their last two encounters, including one at the United Cup this year. Significantly, Gauff has not yet defeated Swiatek on a clay surface.

Match Statistics and Milestones

Key statistics highlight the match`s turning points. Keys committed 35 unforced errors compared to Swiatek`s 25. This win extends Swiatek`s head-to-head lead against Keys to 5-2 overall, including a perfect 4-0 record on clay.

This appearance marks Swiatek`s 20th semifinal in 36 WTA 1000 events. She joins an exclusive group, becoming only the third player, alongside Serena Williams and Simona Halep, to win her first six completed clay-court quarterfinals at this elite level.

While Keys has had success against Swiatek on hard courts, their encounters on clay have consistently favored the Pole, underscoring the surface`s significant impact on their dynamic.

Match Analysis

In terms of match progression, Swiatek was aiming for her third consecutive semifinal appearance in Madrid, a feat previously accomplished only by Maria Sharapova. The 6-0 first set loss was particularly notable; it was the first time Swiatek had been shut out in a set in nearly four years, dating back to a match against Daria Kasatkina on grass at Eastbourne in 2021. This ended an impressive streak of 625 completed sets without a bagel. In that difficult opening set, Swiatek recorded 10 unforced errors, won only 29% of her service points, and totaled just nine points overall.

The second set saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Swiatek appeared significantly more at ease, while Keys` error count surged from just two in the first set to fifteen in the second. Swiatek secured two breaks of Keys` serve and leveled the match by converting her second set point after a Keys forehand landed in the net.

Swiatek`s exceptional court coverage became increasingly crucial as the match wore on. The decisive first break of the final set came at 2-2 on Keys` serve. After successfully defending two break points, Swiatek won a spectacular point with a diving backhand volley, which was followed by a Keys forehand error into the net.

Swiatek consistently targeted Keys` backhand, effectively creating openings on the court. Although Keys sometimes had opportunities on her forehand, errors frequently occurred. Ultimately, it was a backhand error that led to a second break of serve for Swiatek, giving her the chance to serve for the match at 5-2. The World No. 1 sealed her comeback victory on her second match point when Keys hit a forehand long.

Discussing the challenging first set, Swiatek acknowledged Keys` strong serve: “[Keys] was serving great, and in every service game she got like two, three points by aces or some amazing serves.” She added, “So when I didn`t get them back I had no chance to win a point. Then, when I didn’t hold my serve, obviously, yeah, it became complicated.”

Swiatek credited her turnaround to the format: “But that`s why it`s good that we have second sets to just change something up. And maybe, yeah, I feel like for sure I started serving better and that helped me.”