Australian Open: No. 12 American Madison Keys rallies past No. 28 Elina Svitolina to reach the semifinals

On By Littum

Madison Keys is through to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open after cruising past Elina Svitolina (Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Madison Keys is through to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open after cruising past Elina Svitolina (Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Madison Keys was on the ropes but rallied on Wednesday to keep alive hopes of an All-American semifinal at the Australian Open.

No. 28 Elina Svitolina struck first against the 12th-seeded Keys, but the Keys secured a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in the first quarter-final match of the day at Rod Laver Arena. Keys’ victory follows the quarter-final exit of third-seeded American Coco Gauff, who was upset by the Spanish no. 11-seed Paula Badosa on Tuesday.

Next for the US is no. 8 seed Emma Navarro, who faces a big task later Wednesday in a quarterfinal match with no. 2 seed and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek. The winner of that match will take on the Keys in the semifinals.

Keys and Svitolina played even early as each player held serve en route to a 4-3 lead for Svitolina. But unforced errors eventually caught up with Keys as Svitolina scored the first break of the match to lead 5-3. Svitolina then served for the set and held for a 6-3 win.

Keys committed 15 unforced errors in the opening set, to just four for Svitolina. But Keys regained her composure in the second set to level the match.

Keys first faced a chance to seize control in the second set with three break points in the fourth game of the set. But Svitolina fought back to win the game and prevent Keys’ best effort up to that point to turn the match in her favor.

But Keys capitalized on Svitolina’s next serve. She had two break points and sent a forehand down the right line that Svitolina couldn’t catch to score her first break of the match and take a 4-2 lead in the second set. She held serve from there for a 6-3 victory to send the match to a decisive third set.

There, Keys struck first with a break from Svitolina to take a 3-2 lead. Svitolina did not return the break and Keys held and secured the match on serve.

Keys, 29, advances to the semi-finals in pursuit of her first Grand Slam title and her second final appearance after a 2017 loss to Sloane Stephens at the 2017 US Open. It is the third time she has progressed past the quarter-finals in Melbourne.