Even as Iga Swiatek has consolidated her position at the top of women’s tennis over the past few years, sweeping up significant titles on hard and clay courts alike, she has struggled to back up her success at some of the biggest tournaments in the world. While she has built an all-time great era of dominance at the French Open, winning four of the past five tournaments in Paris, Swiatek had also gone two seasons without making a semi-final in Melbourne, London or New York.
This fortnight at the Australian Open, however, things have come together at last. Swiatek will battle Madison Keys for a spot in the final after the Polish No 2 seed dismantled the eighth seed, Emma Navarro, 6-1, 6-2 on Wednesday to continue her dominant run through the draw. Keys maintained her own excellent early season form with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over the 28th seed, Elina Svitolina.