Keys locks up trip to Open semifinals

After her first major final in 2017 when she won only three games, Madison Keys is showing at this year’s U.S. Open that experience is her best teacher.

“I’ve had some big moments before and was probably putting too much pressure on myself, so I’m just learning from those experiences, having a better mentality about the situation and remembering what my game plan is and focusing on that,” Keys said Wednesday night after defeating Carla Suarez Navarro, 6-4, 6-3, in the quarterfinals.

Keys, the 14th seed, will face No. 20 Naomi Osaka in tonight’s semifinals. Keys, 23, hasn’t advanced past the quarterfinals at any other Grand Slam event.

That could soon change. Keys beat the crafty Suarez Navarro by displaying a patience equal to her power.

“I feel like last year a lot of my matches were kind of emotional roller coasters,” Keys said. “This year, I feel like I have been much more solid mentally, and in tougher times I keep my cool a little bit better.”

Keys improved to 4-0 against Suarez Navarro. Each of the previous matches were three-set grinds. This time, Keys probed during rallies until getting the right ball on which to unleash her power.

“It was more about staying calm and knowing that she was going to play well and just waiting for my opportunities,” said Keys, who hit 22 winners to her opponent’s 10.

There were only two service breaks in the match — one in each set, both by Keys.

Keys thrilled the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium when she abruptly ended a rally in the 10th game of the first set with a stinging forehand down the line on her second set point. After letting three previous break points go to waste, she made no mistake on the fourth.

It didn’t take as long for Keys to break serve in the second set. In the sixth game, she deftly sliced a backhand to Suarez Navarro’s backhand. The No. 20 seed from Spain had difficulty extending her arms, and her backhanded reply found the net to give Keys a 4-2 lead.

A glimpse of the nervousness that plagued Keys in last year’s final, when she lost to Sloane Stephens, 6-3, 6-0, resurfaced when she double-faulted on her first match point.

But Keys earned a second match point with a backhand passing shot and closed the match when an overpowered Suarez Navarro sent a backhand long.

“Madison was better today, more fresh than me,” said Suarez Navarro, who celebrated her 30th birthday Monday with a victory over No. 22 Maria Sharapova, which cleared an experienced big hitter from Keys’ path.

Keys next faces No. 20 Naomi Osaka in the semifinals Thursday night. Osaka crushed unseeded Lesia Tsurenko, 6-1, 6-1, in an afternoon match.

The last time Keys faced Osaka, in the third round of the 2016 Open, she trailed 1-5 in the final set before rallying to win the last six games, thanks largely to stage fright from Osaka.

But Osaka looks vastly improved in 2018. She has powered through opponents while spending a tournament-low 5 hours, 56 minutes on court in winning five matches.