US Open 2023: Madison Keys downs Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova to tee up Aryna Sabalenka semi-final
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Updated 07/09/2023 at 08:40 GMT
America's Madison Keys is through to the semi-finals of the US Open, where she will play incoming world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday in New York. She reached the last four with a straight sets, 6-1 6-4, victory against Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, limiting her opponent's ability in rallies and focusing on her improving service game.
Zverev tells Alcaraz 'go win it' after defeat, Keys also through to semis
Madison Keys reached the last four of the US Open after beating Marketa Vondrousova 6-1 6-4.
The world No. 17 is into her third semi-final at Flushing Meadows after an impressive victory over this year’s Wimbledon champion.
Keys will have to get past Aryna Sabalenka, the incoming world No. 1, on Thursday night to reach the final in New York for the second time in her career.
She has been in strong form this week, beating world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the last 16 for the loss of just four games.
Keys operated from deep against Vondrousova, while also attacking the net to interrupt her opponent’s rhythm, as she raced through the opening set in 39 minutes.
Although the second set was closer, Keys swatted away six break points before breaking in the ninth game and serving out victory.
Keys was keen to limit the length of rallies and explained her strategy was to play to her strengths on serve.
"I have been really focusing on the serve," Keys said.
"It's funny, Bjorn [Fratangelo, Keys' fiancé and coach] has been wanting me to go after it more so he said if I hit a 121 [mph] I get anything I want. I hit a 119 tonight so I was so close.
"No, honestly, it's just I feel like I've just been trying to pick my spots and be really smart with it.
"I think these courts, for the most part, are kind of taking the ball pretty well. So there is really no immediate need to overdo things."
Keys and Sabalenka met in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon this year, with the Belarusian winning 6-2 6-4.
"There are obviously a lot of things that I can take from the match, the No. 1 thing being she beat me," said Keys.
"But I think that there is still going to be similar patterns and tendencies that she has that I can definitely lean into.
"And also, in the second set at Wimbledon, I was up a break and I had chances. I was definitely in the match and had opportunities, so I think even though I lost that match, it wasn't like I wasn't in the match and I had no idea what I was doing out there.
"So I think there is a lot of positives that I can take out of that match and try to implement tomorrow."
Vondrousova, who claimed a stunning title at the All England Club in July as an unseeded player, was conciliatory in defeat.
"I'm always trying to play maybe longer balls and today I felt like I was under so much pressure from the first point," she said.
"Yeah, there wasn't so much to do, honestly. It was very tough. Even on my serve, when I put second serve I was under very much pressure.
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