Madison Keys continued her resurgent 2022 season by advancing to the Australian Open semifinals.
And resurgent might be a major understatement.
Her 6-3, 6-2 quarterfinal win over French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday was her 10th match win in a row and 11th of the new year. That includes five wins so far at Melbourne Park, five in winning the Adelaide International title 10 days ago and one at a Melbourne tournament in the first week of the season.
Madison Keys, left, of the U.S. is congratulated by Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic following their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (AP PhotoAndy Brownbill)
Her total number of wins in all of 2021? That same number, 11.
“I did everything I could to rest this offseason and focus on starting fresh and new . . . starting from zero and not focusing on last year," Keys said in her on-court interview. “I think it's going well so far!"
Last week, Keys gave more details on how terrible 2021 was for her.
Madison Keys of the U.S. celebrates after defeating Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic in their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (AP PhotoAndy Brownbill)
“I was just at a very high anxiety level all of the time,” Keys said. “I wasn’t sleeping as well. It felt like there was literally a weight on my chest just because I became so focused and obsessed with it that I wasn’t enjoying really anything because it’s all that I was thinking about.”
Krejcikova took a medical timeout while trailing 5-2 in the first set from what might have been heat stress, and appeared to be lethargic at times during the 35-minute second set.
Keys will play either top-ranked Ash Barty or Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. Barty and Pegula were playing a night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Rafael Nadal’s quest for a men's record 21st Grand Slam singles title continues when he takes on Denis Shapovalov in the late afternoon on Rod Laver. The other men’s quarterfinal on Day 9 between Gael Monfils and Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini closes the night program.
Temperatures were expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) under partly cloudy skies.
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