Swiatek defeated Keys to return to the Madrid Open final.
Iga Swiatek advanced to the Madrid Open final for the second consecutive year with ease, defeating Madison Keys in straight sets.
The 20th-ranked Keys were defeated 6-1, 6-3 by the world no. 1 on Thursday, demonstrating that they belong in a different category.
“It was a pretty clean performance and really solid game from myself,” Swiatek stated. “I’m happy with everything.”
The only prestigious European clay-court tournament that the rising Polish star has not yet won is the Madrid Open.
After winning titles at Indian Wells and Doha, Swiatek will be playing in her third final of the year against either world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka or No. 4 Elena Rybakina.
The final from the previous year, in which Sabalenka beat Swiatek, might happen again.
While unhappy, Keys acknowledged that there were “a lot of really great things to take from the tournament” in the capital of Spain.
“I haven’t won four straight matches in a long time. Lots of ground to cover. Going into (the Italian Open in) Rome next week, there’s undoubtedly a lot of momentum,” she remarked.
I’ve only returned to competition four times since my shoulder injury.
“So, to do so well here, be able to play some tough matches and be physically 100 per cent is a huge positive.”