Madison Keys is having a fantastic year! The 19th seed just reached her seventh Grand Slam semifinal, and it’s her third time doing it at the Australian Open! She beat Elina Svitolina in a tough three-setter, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. And get this, Keys is the ONLY American woman left in the semis! She outplayed all the higher-ranked players: Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro and Danielle Collins. Her friend Frances Tiafoe, who jokingly calls her “Mom” because she’s been around forever, probably saw this coming—albeit from a respectful distance.

This victory marks a tenth consecutive win for her in 2025. This was followed by her title run in Adelaide International, where she outclassed her compatriot Pegula in the finals, securing her ninth career title. She currently has a 12-1 record for the season with only a loss coming to eventual Clara Tauson in Auckland. She carried the same form in the quarterfinals, turning the match with a forehand winner in the second set and then clinching the match.

During her post-match press conference, keys revealed her decision to steer clear of talking to Tiafoe before the big AO semifinal. She said she adheres to a self-imposed “jinx” rule between the two. “I probably won’t text him. We have this kind of joke where in the past he wouldn’t say anything pre-tournament or anything, and then he would text me, like, in the quarters or the semis or something, and I would lose the next round,” Keys said.

Tiafoe, who exited the tournament in the second round to Fabian Marozsan, shares a strong bond with Keys. Their camaraderie has grown since the 2023 United Cup, where they represented the United States. Talking about the bond in the press conference, she also added, “So we have this new rule. Like I saw him a few days ago, and I said, ‘Don’t text me, I don’t want to hear from you at all, just leave me alone and we’ll talk after the tournament.’”

Beyond the court, both Tiafoe and Keys have teamed up for various events, one of which was a pickleball exhibition match promoting sun safety with La Roche-Posay ahead of the 2024 US Open. Keys also maintains a close friendship with fellow American tennis player Sloane Stephens. Now focused on the task ahead, Keys will face world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday. But was it really just this break in “jinx” that led her to the win?

Madison Keys says playing ‘fearless’ led her to the semis of the Australian Open

Madison Keys has attributed her impressive run in Melbourne to a fearless approach to playing. Reflecting on her journey in the on-court interview, she said, “I think I played a little bit smarter, for sure. Probably a little bit less fearless though, but to be here 10 years later in the semifinals, again, I’m really proud of myself and really excited to play another semifinal here in Melbourne.”

The 29-year-old reached the Australian Open semifinals in 2015 as a teenager and then again in 2022, losing to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty. Keys’ determination and growth over the years have brought her back to the semis.

On the other hand, her opponent Iga Swiatek has been dominant throughout the tournament, not dropping a single set. The world No. 2 has earned her semifinal spot with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over Emma Navarro. Swiatek has been in incredible form, making Keys’ path to the second Grand Slam final a daunting one.

While keeping her “jinx” boundaries intact with Tiafoe, Keys will now look to overcome Swiatek and secure her second Grand Slam final appearance.