"I did everything I could" - Iga Swiatek leaves Australian Open with her head held high despite heartbreaking Madison Keys loss

Iga Swiatek equalled her best performance at the Australian Open by reaching the semifinals at this year’s edition. It was, however, another heartbreak for her as she lost the last-four encounter to Madison Keys.

The two women played pulsating tennis throughout the two-and-a-half-hour duration of their titanic tussle. In the end, it was the American who was braver on the big points and eventually took the contest 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8).

Despite the loss, Swiatek is leaving Melbourne holding her head high and with plenty of positive takeaways. Reflecting on her performance during her post-match press conference, she described the semifinal clash as a close one but expressed satisfaction with the way she played.

The Pole, despite the ups and downs, gave it her all but credited her opponent with being the better player on the given day.

"It was tight, you know, from the beginning. And the second set for sure, like, it was something that I just wanted to forget about and get back to my game, you know?" Iga Swiatek said [0:47 onwards].

"So I would say, yeah, this first set and third set where I feel like I was playing, you know, my tennis," she continued. "Maybe, okay, it wasn't like a 100% control as on previous matches. Still, I think I played good, but she played better. And so I would say like I did everything I could so I woudn't say like I flopped or that I should have won."

Swiatek led the head-to-head against Keys 4-1, but the American has managed to pull one back with her fighting win over the Pole.

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Iga Swiatek identifies one area that could have been better in Australian Open SF against Madison Keys

Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek at the 2025 Australian Open. (Source: Getty)

Iga Swiatek did identify one area of her game that she felt could have been better in the Australian Open semifinal against Madison Keys: her serve.

The Pole took note of all the free points that Keys was winning behind her big first serve, saying she was unable to neutralise that by serving as well on her own.

"Not really, I think. I think it was like kind of 50-50 because I think maybe I would have wanted, sometimes if I could win like easy points with my serve."

"[Madison Keys] did kind of, you know, She could always come back from being in trouble with the serve, but I did not serve that well, you know? so, maybe that would make a difference," she added.

Keys, who is through to her second career Grand Slam final, will take on two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the summit clash on Saturday.