Madison Keys bursting into tears speaks volumes before Iga Swiatek win at Australian Open

Madison Keys broke down into tears erstwhile she was dumped retired of the US Open by Aryna Sabalenka successful 2023, fearing she would ne'er scope different Grand Slam final

Australian Open finalist Madison Keys was reduced to tears erstwhile she exited the 2023 US Open astatine the semi-final stage, possibly fearing she'd ne'er person different accidental astatine a large win.

Keys triumphed implicit WTA No. 2 Iga Swiatek successful a three-set lucifer connected Thursday, mounting up a last showdown with Aryna Sabalenka. The 29-year-old has had a palmy yet challenging tourney in Melbourne and caps disconnected a stellar effort with a showpiece place.

She defeated top-10 seeds Danielle Collins, Elena Rybakina and No. 28 effect Elina Svitolina earlier her face-off with five-time large champion Swiatek. Despite being an underdog, she didn't fto it impact her performance.

The American made a comeback aft losing the archetypal acceptable 7-5, securing a 6-1 acceptable triumph and prevailing 7-6 successful a 3rd acceptable 10-8 tiebreak to unafraid her spot successful Saturday's final. However, backmost successful 2023, erstwhile she was defeated by the aforesaid hostile she'll beryllium facing successful Rod Laver Arena this weekend, Keys' tears suggested she believed her days of reaching large finals mightiness person been over.

Notably, the spread betwixt Keys' archetypal large final, which took spot successful New York successful 2017, and her existent accomplishment is the longest successful the Open Era, highlighting her struggle.

Prior to her triumph implicit the world fig 2, Keys had mislaid 5 of her erstwhile six semi-finals, including the 2023 heartbreak, successful which she amazed Sabalenka by taking the archetypal acceptable 6-0, lone to suffer some the 2nd and 3rd successful gruelling tiebreaks, reports the Express.

After suffering a heart-wrenching defeat, US prima Keys was visibly disappointed and saddened during her post-match property conference.

Faced with the question of what's adjacent aft repeated Grand Slam setbacks, Keys couldn't clasp backmost her emotions astir the situation ahead.

"I deliberation everyone astatine the commencement of the tourney would beryllium truly excited to beryllium successful the semis," she admitted. "Right now, it sucks," her dependable trailed disconnected arsenic Keys fought backmost tears portion reflecting connected her journey.

"But, yeah, I conscionable deliberation being capable to instrumentality this and crook it into a affirmative is truly possible..." The affectional infinitesimal culminated with Keys sobbing and cradling her caput successful her hands, trying to find solace successful the idea. There's a batch to beryllium arrogant of."

Fast guardant to 2025, and specified a country has been contrasted sharply arsenic Keys was pictured wiping distant tears of joyousness connected the court, overwhelmed with reaching her archetypal Australian Open final.