US Open 2023: Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (2) Aryna Sabalenka vs (17) Madison Keys
Date: September 7, 2023
Tournament: US Open 2023
Round: Semifinals
Venue: New York, United States
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $65,000,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN | Canada - TSN | UK - Sky Sports | India - Sony Sports
Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys preview
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka will take on home favorite Madison Keys in the semifinals of the 2023 US Open on Thursday (September 7).
Sabalenka defeated Maryna Zanevska, Jodie Burrage, Clara Burel, and Daria Kasatkina to set up a quarterfinal clash with Qinwen Zheng. The Belarusian raced through the first set and claimed it for the loss of just one game.
Zheng managed to raise her level in the second set to keep up with Sabalenka, but the latter was still miles ahead in terms of gameplay. The reigning Australian Open champion snagged the decisive break to go 4-3 up and solidified her lead with a hold of serve to make it 5-3.
With Zheng serving to stay in the match, Sabalenka brought up a match point on her serve, but the Chinese fended it off to get herself out of trouble. The Belarusian closed out the proceedings in the next game to win 6-1, 6-4.
Keys, meanwhile, knocked out Arantxa Rus, Yanina Wickmayer, Liudmila Samsonova, and Jessica Pegula to reach the last eight. She faced current Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinals.
Keys made a fast start and wasted no time in claiming the first set, with the Czech being able to grab just one game in it. The American didn't take her foot off the pedal in the second set either as she broke Vondrousova's serve twice to win the contest 6-1, 6-4.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys head-to-head
Sabalenka leads Keys 2-1 in the head-to-head. The former won their most recent encounter at the 2023 Wimbledon in straight sets.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys prediction
Two of the tour's most powerful ballstrikers are set to collide in this semifinal. Sabalenka has been in fine form throughout the tournament, with some commendable serving performance and sublime hitting. She didn't face a single break point in the previous round and fired 17 winners.
Sabalenka's quarterfinal win also made her the first woman to reach the semifinals of all four Majors in a single season since Serena Williams did the same in 2016. She has won all of her matches in straight sets so far and hasn't lost more than five games per match.
Keys didn't allow Vondrousova to settle in and dictated the play to reach the semifinals here for the third time. She made it to the title round here back in 2017 and if she maintains her current level, could do so yet again.
Keys has done a great job by not making too many errors per match and by playing with some restraint. She isn't simply hitting hard on every occasion, but waits for the right moment to unleash the full force behind her shots.
This match could be a masterclass in first-strike tennis if both of them put their best foot forward. Given how they've played so far, the odds of that happening are quite high. Sabalenka seems to be playing a tad bit better, so she'll be favored to reach her second Major final.
Pick: Aryna Sabalenka to win in straight sets.