Iga Swiatek`s performance at the Mutua Madrid Open hasn`t always shown her usual dominance. On her path to the quarterfinals, the defending champion uncharacteristically dropped sets against younger opponents like Alexandra Eala and Diana Shnaider.
Wednesday`s match against fifth seed Madison Keys brought another surprise. Keys delivered a stunning performance in the first set, winning it 6-0 in just 24 minutes – a rare “bagel” against the world`s top player.
However, Swiatek is a four-time French Open champion with an exceptional record on clay, winning nearly 90 percent of her matches on the surface. These instincts kicked in as she fought back to secure a 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Reflecting on the match, Swiatek commented, “Honestly, it was one of the weirdest matches I’ve ever played. I didn’t feel like [the first set] was that bad. I felt the ball well — it just went super long. I tried to play a bit shorter, and with some mistakes by Maddy, the momentum changed in the end. I’m happy that I did it.”
Swiatek`s triumph sends her into the semifinals against fourth seed Coco Gauff. Gauff advanced by winning nine of the last ten games in her quarterfinal match against seventh seed Mirra Andreeva.
Swiatek holds a strong overall head-to-head record against Gauff at 11-3. While Gauff won their most recent encounter at the United Cup this year, she has yet to defeat Swiatek on a clay court.
Looking at the statistics, unforced errors played a significant role in the match, with Keys accumulating 35 compared to Swiatek`s 25. Swiatek now leads the head-to-head series against Keys 5-2, maintaining a perfect 4-0 record on clay.
This victory marks Swiatek`s 20th semifinal appearance in 36 WTA 1000 tournaments. She joins an elite group, becoming only the third player, alongside Serena Williams and Simona Halep, to win her first six completed clay-court quarterfinals at this level.
Reaching three consecutive semifinals in Madrid was a goal for the defending champion, a feat previously achieved only by Maria Sharapova.
Dropping the first set 6-0 was a notable moment; it was the first time Swiatek had been shut out in a set in nearly four years, a remarkable streak spanning 625 completed sets. In that difficult first set, Swiatek made 10 unforced errors and won only nine points in total, struggling with her serve.
The second set saw a dramatic shift. Swiatek found her rhythm and looked much more comfortable. Keys, who had made only two unforced errors in the first set, committed 15 in the second. Swiatek broke Keys` serve twice and leveled the match.
As the match progressed into the third set, Swiatek`s superior court coverage and movement became increasingly decisive. She secured a crucial break early in the set after a hard-fought point. Swiatek strategically targeted Keys` backhand, opening up the court and forcing errors. Another break sealed Swiatek`s lead, and she served out the match, converting on her second match point.
Discussing the initial struggles, Swiatek acknowledged Keys` strong serving in the first set, stating, “[Keys] was serving great, and in every service game she got like two, three points by aces or some amazing serves… So when I didn`t get them back I had no chance to win a point. Then, when I didn’t hold my serve, obviously, yeah, it became complicated.” She added, “But that`s why it`s good that we have second sets to just change something up. And maybe, yeah, I feel like for sure I started serving better and that helped me.”
Rupert Caldwell