Daily Times

Iga Swiatek cruised to a straight-sets semifinal win over Madison Keys on Thursday to reach the Madrid Open final and a rematch against No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka.

Top-ranked Swiatek beat No. 20 Keys 6-1, 6-3 and will next face the defending champion Sabalenka, who rallied to overcome No. 4-ranked Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5).

The Madrid Open is the only high-profile European clay-court title that Swiatek is yet to win.

“It was a pretty clean performance and really solid game from myself,” she said. “I´m happy with everything.”

It will be the third final of the year for Swiatek after titles in Indian Wells and Doha.

“I´m happy that we can play a final against the top players,” Swiatek said. “It shows consistency. For sure it´s going to be a challenge, whoever it´s going to be, and a tough match. I will be ready. I will focus on myself.”

Sabalenka, who needed three sets to defeat Swiatek in the Madrid final last year, is into her third Madrid final after ending Rybakina´s 16-match clay-court winning streak.

“I was just trying to fight for every point,” Sabalenka said. “I was hoping that I´ll have opportunity to turn this match around, and yeah, super happy that I was able to do that.”

Keys said she was disappointed but there were “a lot of really great things to take from the tournament” in the Spanish capital.

“It´s been a while since I have won four matches in a row. Lots to build on. It´s obviously great momentum going into Rome next week,” she said. “It´s obviously only my fourth tournament back after the shoulder injury, so to do so well here and to be able to play some tough matches and have some three-set matches and be physically 100% still and being able to look forward to Rome and hopefully play some good tennis there is a huge positive.”

Daniil Medvedev retired from his quarterfinal match after losing the first set 6-4, sending the 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka into a semifinal against 35th-ranked Felix Auger-Aliassime.

No. 4-ranked Medvedev needed treatment on his upper right leg while leading 3-2, complaining about having trouble moving to his right. He also needed treatment at 4-3, and after Lehecka broke serve in the ninth game to win the set, Medvedev decided not to continue.

“It´s never easy in a match like this,” Lehecka said of Medvedev´s retirement. “If I were to choose the way how to win this match, it wouldn´t be like that. So of course, it´s never easy to see your opponent struggling, but at that moment, you just need to focus on yourself, trying to get the maximum level out of yourself.”