By Alberto Amalfi | Friday, October 7, 2016
In a Beijing battle of power players, Madison Keys made decisive first strikes when it mattered most.
The eighth-seeded Keys edged Petra Kvitova, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5) to advance to the China Open semifinals for the first time.
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Despite squandering a one-set, one-break lead, Keys gained the slight edge in the decisive tie break to eke out a dramatic two hour, 41-minute triumph.
"I think I played a pretty solid first set today, then she raised her level. I just think at the end it became a couple of points here or there. I think I got my serve back on track a little bit," Keys told the China Open web site. "I mean, really, it could have gone either way. It was really close."
Keys fought off 14 of 18 break points reaching her fifth semifinal of the season.
Fresh off her run to her first title of the year in Wuhan, the powerful Kvitova carried an eight-match winning streak into the quarterfinals. Kvitova can force even explosive opponents into defensive positions and Keys felt the pressure as the two-time Wimbledon winner fought back to force a final set.
“I think she does a really good job of making you feel pressure on your serve, so you start going for more on your first serve," Keys told the China Open web site. "Then, also, she’s kind of all over your second serve. Petra does a good job of keeping you deep behind the baseline and going for her shots.”
It was the 21-year-old American's second win in three meetings with Kvitova this season. Keys scored a 6-3, 6-4 win on the Red clay of Rome last May; Kvitova answered with a three-set victory at the Rio Olympics.
Playing for her second title of the season, Keys will take on Johanna Konta for a place in the final.
The 11th-seeded Konta crushed China's Zhang Shuai, 6-4, 6-0. Konta served 78 percent and won 12 of 14 points played on her serve breezing through the second set to wrap up a 72-minute win.
Konta has won seven of her last eight matches and is playing for her second final of the season. Konta defeated Dominika Cibulkova and Venus Williams in succession to claim her first career title in Stanford.
Elina Svitolina backed up her straight-sets upset of world No. 1 Angelique Kerber with a 7-6 (3), 6-1 victory over Daria Gavrilova. Svitolina played determined defense in the tie break as Gavrilova, pressing the issue in several rallies, missed successive forehands to end the tie break.
The 16th-seeded Svitolina converted five of 15 break points to reach the final four. Svitolina will play either third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska or Yaroslava Shvedova for a place in the championship match.