By Ros Satar
- Ashleigh Barty [1] v Madison Keys
- Iga Swiatek [7] v Danielle Collins [27]
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – The women’s semi-finals are shaping up to a great finale as home hope Ashleigh Barty is still going strong.
Ashleigh Barty [1] v Madison Keys H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Ashleigh Barty [1] v Madison Keys | H2H: Barty leads 2-1 |
| Australian Open | Melbourne, Australia |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: AU$895,000 |
| First night session on Rod Laver Arena, from 7:30pm (8:30am GMT) | Amazon Prime Video <– Sign up for Discovery+ via Amazon Prime |
The long wait for an Aussie in the finals of the Women’s singles of the Australian Open could be over as Ashleigh Barty takes on Madison Keys, herself a US Open finalist. Keys is the only unseeded player left in the draw, in a semi-final that features no debutants at this stage of proceeding.
Barty has just looked rock solid throughout this tournament, and only Amanda Anisimova was able to break her service game winning streak (and promptly paid for it with Barty breaking her three straight times)!
But Keys has been playing freely. She started the season with a win in Adelaide, and had her toughest match here in the third round having to come from a set behind to beat Wang Qiang, but showed she could figure it all out on the court.
It will take a near perfect game from Keys to counter Barty’s unstoppable defence and variety against the American’s trademark powerful serve, forehand and aggressive baseline play. She will find herself being drawn into the net a lot and Barty will try and keep her constantly on the move.
Prediction: Barty in three sets.
Iga Swiatek [7] v Danielle Collins [27] H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Iga Swiatek [7] v Danielle Collins [27] | H2H: Swiatek leads 1-0 |
| Australian Open | Melbourne, Australia |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: AU$895,000 |
| Second night session on Rod Laver Arena, not before 9pm | Amazon Prime Video <– Sign up for Discovery+ via Amazon Prime |
A lot has happened to Danielle Collins since she last graced the semi-final stage of the Australian Open. Having undergone endometriosis surgery in 2020, she has scrapped and fought her way back on to the centre stage as only she can.
Over the net from her will be a very wise head on young shoulders in Iga Swiatek, who has learnt to overcome some issues this tournament already having to come from a set down in her last two matches to get to a first semi-final at the Australian Open.
But experience is what should carry Swiatek over the line – she won Roland Garros as a teenager and has always been open about working with a sports psychologist and is probably one of the more unconventional 20-year-olds on the tour.
Collins will look to start strong, and she will absolutely need to rely on some big first strike tennis. Swiatek brings variety and cunning to the court, and this three sets written all over it with plenty of fist-pumps and shouts.
Prediction: Swiatek in three sets.
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WATCH: Australian Open 2022 Match in a Minute
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