MADRID — Iga Swiatek cruised to a straight-set win over Madison Keys to succeed in the Madrid Open closing for the second consecutive yr Thursday.
Prime-ranked Swiatek beat Twentieth-ranked Keys 6-1, 6-3 within the semifinals.
“It was a reasonably clear efficiency and actually strong sport from myself,” Swiatek mentioned. “I am proud of the whole lot.”
The Madrid Open is the one high-profile European clay-court competitors that Swiatek has but to win. She has received titles in Indian Wells and Doha this season.
“I am pleased that we will play a closing in opposition to the highest gamers,” Swiatek mentioned. “It exhibits consistency. For positive it may be a problem, whoever it may be, and a tricky match. I shall be prepared. I’ll deal with myself.”
She’s going to face world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in a rematch of final yr’s closing. Sabalenka rallied to beat No. 4 Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) to succeed in her third Madrid closing and finish Rybakina’s 16-match clay-court profitable streak.
Within the males’s draw, Czech Jiri Lehecka superior to the semifinals after world No. 4 Daniil Medvedev give up the match with a groin drawback after shedding the primary set.
Medvedev requested a medical day out due whereas main 3-2 and continued to visibly wrestle to maneuver after coming again onto the courtroom.
Lehecka, who knocked out Rafael Nadal within the final 16, then broke Medvedev to take a 4-5 lead and took the set 6-4 earlier than Medvedev instructed the umpire he couldn’t proceed the match.
“It is by no means straightforward in a match like this,” Lehecka mentioned of Medvedev’s retirement. “If I have been to decide on the way in which how one can win this match, it would not be like that. So in fact, it is by no means straightforward to see your opponent struggling, however at that second, you simply must deal with your self, making an attempt to get the utmost stage out of your self.”
Lehecka will face Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime within the semifinals Friday. Russian Andrey Rublev will play Taylor Fritz within the different semifinal.
The Related Press and Subject Stage Media contributed to this report.
