Madrid – IgA Swatek survived “one of the strangest matches” after losing the first six games and recovering to defeat Madison Keys 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 and staying on the way to defend his title at Madrid Open on Wednesday.
Coco Gautf also advanced to the semifinals, beating the teenager Mirra Andreeva in straight sets.
Swiatek was dominated by Keys at the beginning of his quarterfinals, but finally found a way to meet beyond the American in fifth place on the central court.
“It was one of the strangest games I played,” Swiatek said in second place. “Maddie was playing perfectly at the beginning and was not really proactive with anything. I let Maddie make more mistakes simply returning the ball and the impulse changed.”
Swiatek said he didn’t feel good to go down 0-6 at the beginning of the game, he added that it was “strange.”
“At least it was fast, that is the only positive thought,” he said. “I stayed there. It was obviously not easy.”
It was the first meeting between the two since Swiatek wasted a party point in the semifinals of The Australian Open that was won by the keys.
Swiatek is trying to reach its third consecutive final in Madrid. She beat Aryna Sabalenka last year after losing her in 2023.
Sabalenka, the number 1 player in the world, later faces Marta Kostyuk in her quarterfinal match.
Swiatek has not passed the semifinals in any tournament since the France Open last year.
Swiatek will face the next talor of the fourth classified, who beat Mirra Andreeva for seventh place 7-5, 6-1.
The size of 21 years needed only 92 minutes to win the victory against Andreeva, who turned 18 on Tuesday.
Both Gunff and Andreeva had been able to finish their games in the previous round just before the game stopped due to the main blackout That put Spain and Portugal at a dead point on Monday. More than 20 games had to postpone in the Magic Box Tennis Complex.
Matteo Arnaldo supported his victory over Novak Djokovic in the second round of the male draw by defeating Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals of an ATP 1000 tournament per second time.
Arnaldi now has three consecutive victories against the 20 best opponents for the first time in his career.
___
AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tenis
