The Madison Keys who will play two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka for the title at the Australian Open on Saturday night is not the same Madison Keys who was the runner-up at the U.S.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Aryna Sabalenka continued her charge towards a third-straight Australian Open title by overwhelming her “soulmate” Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 in Thursday evening’s semifinal.

When Madison Keys finally finished off her 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) upset of No. 2 Iga Swiatek in a high-intensity, high-quality Australian Open semifinal on Thursday night, saving a match point along the way,

Sabalenka beat good friend Paula Badosa of Spain earlier Thursday, 6-4, 6-2. Sabalenka, a 26-year-old from Belarus, can become the first woman since 1999 to win three consecutive Australian Open singles crowns. "If she plays like this," the 11th-seeded Badosa said, "I mean, we can already give her the trophy."

Sabalenka plays Spain’s 11th seed Paula Badosa, while Swiatek will face Madison Keys. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The first of two Australian Open women’s singles semifinals is set for an early Thursday morning start in Melbourne as No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka battles No. 11 Paula Badosa.

With women’s tennis on the verge of an epic showdown between its top two players with the Australian Open title on the line, Keys, the 29-year-old American, crashed the party. She stormed back against Iga Swiatek to win their semifinal 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8)