US Open runner-up Madison Keys stormed into her maiden French Open semifinal after beating Yulia Putinseva of Kazakhstan 7-6, 6-4 on Tuesday. Although, Keys wasn’t brilliant in the contest, she still managed to find her way, especially during the crunch situations to earn a well deserved spot in the last of the tournament after a 84 minute battle on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Both players started the match in some style, holding their respective serves with ease. And even though Keys looked the far better player in the early exchanges, it was Putintseva who drew first blood, breaking the American for a 4-3 lead. The Kazakh consolidated the break with a comfortable service hold in the next game as she moved to within a game from the first set.
However, Keys had other plans as she got herself to 0-30 and then creamed a forehand down the line to get the break back. Subsequently, Keys brought up two set-points in the 12th game, but failed to convert as the set moved to a tiebreak.
In the tiebreaker, Putintseva was the first with the mini-break, but Keys immediately made amends as she struck a massive forehand down the line to bring up two sets points. Even though, she lost the first, she grabbed the second with a stunning backhand pass.
After losing set No. 1, Putintseva lost her confidence too. On the other hand, Keys stayed on the offensive, eventually earning the crucial break of serve in the seventh game. Keys backed up the break with a straightforward hold for 5-3. Moments later, Keys sent down a series of booming serves to book her place in the semifinals.
In the semis, Keys could face either good friend Sloane Stephens, who defeated her in the US Open final last year or Daria Kasatkina of Russia on Thursday.
