MELBOURNE, Australia — Iga Swiatek’s newest lopsided win on the Australian Open got here through a 6-1, 6-2 rating within the quarterfinals in opposition to No. 8 seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday.
The No. 2-seeded Swiatek not solely hasn’t dropped a set within the event, but in addition has misplaced a grand complete of solely 14 video games as she seeks her first title at Melbourne Park and sixth Grand Slam trophy general. The final lady to make it to the Australian Open semifinals having ceded fewer than 15 video games was Maria Sharapova in 2013.
“I am actually pleased with the event general,” stated Swiatek, who will face No. 19 Madison Keys of the U.S. on Thursday evening for a berth within the ultimate. “Being within the semis is nice. I will push for extra.”
Swiatek benefited from what seemed to be a missed double bounce on some extent she received within the second set, however Navarro didn’t instantly ask for a video overview. Both approach, Swiatek’s dominance was fairly clear, even when she was modest about it afterward.
“Properly, I believe it was far more harder than the rating says,” stated Swiatek, a 23-year-old from Poland. “Emma’s a fighter … and I wished to remain centered and maintain my depth.”
The opposite ladies’s semifinal is No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, in opposition to one among her good pals, No. 11 Paula Badosa.
Keys, whose greatest exhibiting at a significant was attending to the title match on the 2017 US Open, was a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner in opposition to Elina Svitolina and is on to her third semifinal in Australia.
“Madison is a superb participant and skilled, so that you by no means know,” stated Swiatek, who’s 4-1 in opposition to the 29-year-old Keys. “I will be simply centered on myself.”
Utilizing a brand new racket this season, Keys is on a 10-match successful streak, together with a title at a hard-court tuneup occasion in Adelaide. Her run to the semifinals in Melbourne consists of victories over two previous runners-up on the Australian Open, Danielle Collins and Elena Rybakina.
Keys’ previous losses within the semifinals in Melbourne got here in opposition to eventual champions Serena Williams in 2015 and Ashleigh Barty in 2022.
“I believe I play a bit bit smarter for certain … most likely a bit bit much less fearless,” Keys stated.
Svitolina, a three-time Slam semifinalist, was in management in the course of the first set. However Keys made tactical changes, together with on the lookout for extra alternatives to get to the online. She received 23 of the 26 factors when she moved ahead and ended up with a complete of 49 winners, 23 on her highly effective forehand facet.
The one issue Keys had was getting getting in her return video games. However she lastly transformed her seventh break probability to steer 4-2 within the second set.
“Iga is hard to beat, as a result of she has plenty of spin, type of naturally, on either side. She’s a great server. She’s a great returner. She strikes extremely effectively,” Keys stated, looking forward to Thursday. “The largest factor that makes her so troublesome to beat is, as a result of she strikes so effectively, should you miss your spot simply barely, she has sufficient time to get better, after which the purpose goes again to impartial.”