Synopsis
On January 22, 2025, World No.2 Iga Swiatek reached her first Grand Slam semifinal outside Roland Garros since her 2022 US Open win by defeating No.8 Emma Navarro 6-1, 6-2 in the Australian Open quarterfinals.Key Takeaways
- Swiatek advances to her first hard-court semifinal since 2022.
- Dominated Navarro in the quarterfinals.
- Next competitor is Madison Keys.
- Swiatek remains unbeaten on serve in the match.
- Potential showdown for World No. 1 status in finals.
Melbourne, Jan 22 (NationPress) World No.2 Iga Swiatek has advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal outside of Roland Garros following her victory at the 2022 US Open on Wednesday. The five-time major winner dominated No.8 Emma Navarro with a score of 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, completing the match in just 89 minutes.
This marks Swiatek's inaugural hard-court Grand Slam semifinal since the 2022 Australian Open, where she was defeated by Danielle Collins.
Employing her aggressive strategy, Swiatek controlled the rallies and maneuvered Navarro around the court. After securing the first set in a mere 35 minutes, she faced increased pressure at the start of the second set.
Navarro, participating in her third consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal, managed to earn her first break point while Swiatek was serving at 2-2. However, Swiatek swiftly dismissed that chance and broke back in the next game.
Throughout the second set, Navarro pressured Swiatek, pushing her to deuce in three of her service games, but the former world No. 1 remained steadfast and concluded the match without conceding a point on her serve.
Swiatek is set to face another American, No.14 Madison Keys, for a chance to reach the final. Keys secured her spot in her seventh Grand Slam semifinal and third in Melbourne after defeating No.28 seed Elina Svitolina with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Keys has been on a ten-match winning streak to start 2025, having claimed her ninth career title last week in Adelaide. She currently holds a record of 12-1 this season, with her only defeat coming against eventual champion Clara Tauson in Auckland, according to WTA reports.
The singles semifinals are scheduled for Thursday evening at Melbourne Park. Swiatek and Keys will compete after the first semifinal between World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka and No.12 Paula Badosa.
Should Sabalenka and Swiatek both advance to Saturday’s final, their matchup will determine who emerges as the WTA Tour World No. 1 from Melbourne Park.
