Keys swings into the final, faces Sabalenka next

There were moments in what would turn out to be an epic Australian Open women’s singles semi-final when Madison Keys could well have toyed with the idea of abandoning her swinging ways and adopting a safety-first approach against a resolute Iga Swiatek. Sure, that is not her game, but the mind often dictates terms in these high-octane moments.

Like when she dropped the first set despite having broken Swiatek’s serve thrice. Or when she was love-40 down on her serve twice over deep into the third set. Or when she was 5-7 down in the deciding, nerve-racking first-to-10 match tiebreaker.

But Keys kept dangling and dazzling. She kept her foot on the pedal and the mind in the positive. She kept hanging in there and staying close to the Pole.

And finally, when Swiatek’s forehand sailed long, this swinging Keys unlocked an Australian Open final spot for the first time. After the two-hour, 35-minute high-quality, drama-filled battle ended at 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(10-8), Keys got down on her haunches, placed her left palm over her cap and let her tears flow. The American also wept after the 2023 US Open semi-final which she surrendered to Aryna Sabalenka from a near-winning position, wondering if she’d be able to get herself back to these big stages again. Here she is, one step further, taking on Sabalenka — the two-time defending champion eased past Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 — again. This time for her first Grand Slam title at 29, eight long years after she last had a crack at it at the 2017 US Open.

“I would be lying if I said that there weren’t doubts,” Keys said after her win when asked about doubts in 2023 of this happening again. “To be that close and to lose it was just heartbreaking. I felt like I really left it all out there. But then I kept telling myself that if I keep putting in the work and