Swiatek reaches Madrid final; Medvedev injured

Tennis

MADRID — Iga Swiatek cruised to a straight-set win over Madison Keys to reach the Madrid Open final for the second consecutive year Thursday.

Top-ranked Swiatek beat 20th-ranked Keys 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals.

“It was a pretty clean performance and really solid game from myself,” Swiatek said. “I’m happy with everything.”

The Madrid Open is the only high-profile European clay-court competition that Swiatek has yet to win. She has won titles in Indian Wells and Doha this season.

She will face either world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka or No. 4 Elena Rybakina in the final. Sabalenka defeated Swiatek in the Madrid final last year.

“I’m happy that we can play a final against the top players,” Swiatek said. “It shows consistency. For sure it’s going to be a challenge, whoever it’s going to be, and a tough match. I will be ready. I will focus on myself.”

In the men’s draw, Czech Jiri Lehecka advanced to the semifinals after world No. 4 Daniil Medvedev quit the match with a groin problem after losing the first set.

Medvedev requested a medical time out due while leading 3-2 and continued to visibly struggle to move after coming back onto the court.

Lehecka, who knocked out Rafa Nadal in the last 16, then broke Medvedev to take a 4-5 lead and took the set 6-4 before Medvedev told the umpire he could not continue the match.

Lehecka will face Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals Friday. Russian Andrey Rublev will play Taylor Fritz in the other semifinal.

The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.

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