Madison Keys is bothered by Iga Swiatek in the 1st Australian Open Finale

When Madison Keys finally ended her 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (8) IGA Swiatek in a high-quality, high-quality Australian Open semi-final on Thursday evening and the 29-year-old American saved on the way Place and put a hand on her white hat.

It was difficult for her to believe everything. The comeback. Which keys called “extra dramatic finish”. The victory over the five-time Grand Slam master Swiatek, who was in the most dominant run in Melbourne Park in a dozen years. And now the chance to play in a Grand Slam final a second time, eight years after the second place in the US Open.

“I’m still trying to catch up with everything that happens,” said the 19th Keys, who faces Aryna Sabalenka against the trophy against Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday. “I had the feeling that I was just fighting to stay in it. … it was so up and down and so many big points.”

Just to be sure that Keys asked whether Swiatek was actually a point out of victory. It was used at 6-5, 40-30 before she missed a backhand into the net and then broken twice to send the competition to a first to 10 tie-breakers.

“At some point I felt like I was black out there,” said Keys, “and ran around out there.”

Whatever she did, it worked in the end. Keys claimed more games in the semi -finals than the 14 that Swiatek fell in her five earlier games in the past two weeks.

“It was a question of one or two balls,” said Swiatek, who also lost three years ago in the Australian Open semi -final. “Madison was kind of brave.”

Sabalenka defeated the good friend Paula Badosa 6: 4, 6-2 on Thursday. Sabalenka, a 26-year-old from Belarus, has won the Australian Open in the past two years and has been the first woman since 1999 who has completed a three-goal value.

“If she plays like this,” said the 11th seed Badosa about Sabalenka, “I mean, we can already give her the trophy.”

The last woman who reached three final in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year was Serena Williams, who won two from 2015 to 2017. Martina Hingis was the youngest woman with a three-goal who did it from 1997 to 1999.

Swiatek had not lost a service game since the first round, but was broken three times by key in the first set alone and a total of eight times.

This included each of the first twice from Swiatek, which made it clear from the start that this would not be their usual kind of day. While Swiatek excluded the opening set, she was overwhelmed in the second and was 5-0 before she got a game.

These were the big thug keys in the best form. It will be a few strain on her right shoulder next month.

Immediate dividends are certainly paid. Keys is in a winning streak with 11 games, including the tuning event in Adelaide.

She was good enough to get through it, which was as tight as the route.

“In the end, I have the feeling that we both fought for some nerves. … It was easy to get this last point and who can be a little better than the other,” said Keys. “And I’m glad I was.”

Keys said the personal work that she paid for a brave approach for her game on Thursday, found that her semi -final loss against Sabalenka in 2023 taught her how to take her risk and did not regret.

“I did a lot of personal work. One of the big things after I lost at the US Open against Aryna, I felt like I was sure to play safely and I didn’t play as I wanted to feel in the big moments It is so bad, “said Key’s reporters. “I had the feeling when I can go out and do what I want to do and sometimes just feel uncomfortable and do it and play it and play as I play my best tennis, and I lose, then I can go away and say:” Ok, I did my best, she did me, that’s okay. ‘”

Keys’ victory made her the first woman who has won an Australian Open final since Venus Williams in 2017. Williams defeated Coco Vandeweghe before losing her sister Serena in the final.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.