Madison Keys celebrates after her Australian Open semi-final win over Iga Swiatek at Melbourne Park. AP
Madison Keys celebrates after her Australian Open semi-final win over Iga Swiatek at Melbourne Park. AP
Madison Keys celebrates after her Australian Open semi-final win over Iga Swiatek at Melbourne Park. AP
Madison Keys celebrates after her Australian Open semi-final win over Iga Swiatek at Melbourne Park. AP

Australian Open: Madison Keys stuns Iga Swiatek to set up final battle against Aryna Sabalenka


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Madison Keys will face Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday's Australian Open final after the American stunned in-form Iga Swaitek in their last four clash at Melbourne Park.

World No 2 Swiatek went into the clash as clear favourite having not lost a set in five matches and only dropping 14 games along the way.

And the five-time Grand Slam champion looked on course for a first appearance in the final Down Under after winning the opening set.

But 13th seed Keys hit back taking the second in style before going on to save a match point in the decider, winning 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 after a 10-point tiebreak at the Rod Laver Arena.

It was the fourth time in this year's tournament that Keys had come through in three sets and now plays in her second Grand Slam final, having lost to compatriot Sloane Stephens at the 2017 US Open.

Swiatek had not dropped her serve since the first round but was broken eight times by Keys, who finally won a marathon battle in two hours and 35 minutes.

“I’m still trying to catch up to everything that is happening, I’m in the finals,” said the 29-year-old in her on-court interview. “That match was such high level and she played so well and I just felt like I was fighting to stay in it.

“I then ran with the second [set] and the third was just a battle and to be able to be standing here and be in the finals is absolutely amazing and I’m so excited that I get to be here on Saturday.”

It was a draining battle for both players but keys revealed that she never lost hope despite having to come from behind to win the match.

“I feel like even though I lost the first set I was playing some better tennis at the end of it and that I had a little bit of momentum going into the second set,” Keys added. “To be able to run with that second set and really just be able to settle was really nice.

“In the third set it was so up and down and there were so many big points and break point chances that neither one of us got.

“I feel I blacked out at one point and I was just there running around so just to be able to stay in it and stay fighting, and then a ten-point tiebreaker for an extra dramatic finish.”

Earlier, Sabalenka triumphed first in Melbourne when she defeated close friend Badosa 6-4, 6-2.

The hard, fast courts of Melbourne Park have been the 26-year-old's happy place. She has now won 20 straight matches at the Australian Open to close in on a third consecutive crown – something that has not been achieved this century.

The last person to do so was Martina Hingis in 1999 and only four other women have completed the three-peat – Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.

"I am so proud of myself. I'm proud of my team that we're able to put ourselves in such a situation,” Sabalenka said of being on the cusp of a third title.

“It's a privilege, you know. If I'm able to put my name into history, it will mean a lot. It will mean the world to me.”

Sabalenka last year described Badosa as her “best friend” and “soulmate” and said she was “super happy” that they got to play each other on such a big stage.

“A tough match, tough battle,” she said. “I hope she's still my friend. I'm sure she'll hate me for the next hour, day or two, but I'm OK with that, I can handle that.

“After that I think we are back to being friends, back to go out together and go shopping.”

Despite losing, Badosa's run to the last four capped a remarkable comeback after a brutal back injury in 2023 left her considering quitting tennis.

Instead, her Melbourne exploits will return her to the top 10 for the first time since October 2022. Keys will also return to the top 10.

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The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

2021 World Triathlon Championship Series

May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare

Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sucker%20Punch%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sony%20Computer%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%202%20to%205%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Medicus AI

Started: 2016

Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh

Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai

Sector: Health Tech

Staff: 119

Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)

 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: January 23, 2025, 2:19 PM`