Our semi-final continues it's topsy-turvy start. Madison Keys, wearing a white baseball cap to keep the spotlights out of her eye, double-faults to bring up 30-30.

Big next point, but Keys can't raise her level, sliding a backhand wide down the line.

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC 5 Live and BBC Sounds

You can feel the tension in Iga Swiatek's game at the moment with a couple of double faults, that one was just biting off a bit more than she can chew on that forehand.

It's a good start from Madison Keys but a nervous start from Iga Swiatek.

It's been a very weird match so far.

Madison Keys steps up into Iga Swiatek's weak second serve and returns a winner to go up 0-40.

The break, our third on the bounce, is then handed to her thanks to a Swiatek error.

Image source, Getty Images

Annabel Croft
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

I was watching Iga Swiatek against Emma Navarro, a quality class opponent and she kind of demolished her. Even though she said in her interview that it was a lot tougher than the score line showed, which it sort of was, but she never ever looked in doubt of winning it.

There is a definitely a different look about her this year, mentally, everything about her, she looks revived, hungry and motivated.

We start with an exchange of breaks. Iga Swiatek has Madison Keys scampering and the American has to go for a winner, which she shanks off target.

No celebrations from the Pole, she's as steely eyed as your dentist as she marches back to her mark.

Iga Swiatek turns things around. She benefits from a very long Madison Keys error to bring up deuce. And then she springs from defence into attack, hitting a deep forehand winner.

I sure do hope all the points will be this epic.

Madison Keys is almost teasing Iga Swiatek, just about keeping her in the point as the Pole dashes from side to side. Eventually, after a good 10 seconds of cat and mouse, Keys finishes it off at the net.

40-30.

Annabel Croft
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Madison Keys definitely has some weapons and has had a great tournament so far, she's taken out some really really big names.

She seems to play really well here at the Australian Open but we will have to wait and see if she can get past Iga Swiatek.

Madison Keys hits an error, but takes the break on the following point.

Iga Swiatek rushes to the net but finds herself all exposed and ends up placing a volley into the net.

Swiatek looks really nervous. This is exactly the kind of start Keys would've wanted.

Image source, Getty Images

Ooooh, an early opportunity. Iga Swiatek gets her calculations wrong and whacks a backhand down the line a little wide.

15-40.

And we're off.

Iga Swiatek is wearing an even brighter top than Aryna Sabalenka was. She serves first, although it's Madison Keys who nabs the opening point with a winner at the net.

* Denotes server

Time is called. That's the warm-up done.

Both Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys are bidding to reach the final for the first time, with Keys' only previous final appearance coming at the 2017 US Open.

Swiatek has won four of their five meetings but they have won one match apiece on hard courts, and Keys comes into this on a 10-match winning streak after triumphing at the Adelaide Open earlier this month.

"There have been periods of my career where it felt like if I didn't win [a Grand Slam], then I hadn't done enough, and I didn't live up to my potential in all of that," Keys said.

"That took a lot of the fun out of the game, and there were times where it felt paralysing out on the court because it felt as if I needed it to happen instead of giving myself the opportunity to go out and potentially do it."

Image source, Getty Images

What am I on about at 10:31? The roof is actually open.

I (Joe not Harry or Alicia, those two are way more competent) can only apologise. I'm still exhausted after watching Traitors last night. Couldn't sleep - so much adrenaline.

On being friends with Paula Badosa and putting that aside when competing, Aryna Sabalenka said: “After a couple of battles against each other we have spoken and decided to put it aside and here we both wanted it badly, it’s our dream.

"We just open ends no matter what has happened on court we are going to be friends after our matches and it’s tough to do but we agreed on that and I think we are doing it pretty well.

“I hope she is still my friend, I’m sure she will hate me for the next hour or day but I’m ok with that, I can handle that but after that I think we are back to being friends and going out together and shopping.

“I promise Paula we can go shopping and I pay for whatever she wants.”

Aryna Sabalenka spoke about her semi-final victory against Paula Badosa: “Honestly I have no idea [how I turned it around] I was just trying to built for the next games, I wasn’t thinking about winning that game and then somehow I was able to turn on the game in that crucial game I would say.

"It was a super tough match against a friend, I’m super happy for her to see her at her highest level and it was a tough match and battle but I’m happy to be through this difficult match.”

Image source, Getty Images

Both players are on court. They look calm and collected.

The roof remains closed.

Image source, Getty Images

On Wednesday, Madison Keys continued her own fine form with a 3-6 6-3 6-4 win over Svitolina.

The 29-year-old, on a 10-match winning streak after winning the Adelaide Open title a fortnight ago, is hoping to reach her second Grand Slam final - having lost to Sloane Stephens at the 2017 US Open.

Keys was broken late by Svitolina in a tight first set and came through a tricky first service game in the second before growing into the match. She claimed crucial breaks midway through both sets to see off the Ukrainian and reach a third Australian Open semi-final.

Swiatek leads the head-to-head between the pair 4-1 - but Keys did win their last hard-court meeting in Cincinnati in 2022.

"Madison is a great player and really experienced, so you never know," Swiatek said.

"The match that I lost, she kind of killed me, so I think it can be tricky."

Swiatek's dominance on clay is no secret, with the Pole having won four of the past five French Open titles.

But she has struggled on the fast Melbourne hard courts, having only gone past the fourth round once before this year.

Under new coach Wim Fissette, Swiatek has been ruthless.

Only three players in the Open era have dropped fewer games than Swiatek's 14 on their way to the Melbourne last four.

She has not dropped a single game on serve in her past four matches, and none of her matches so far have lasted more than 90 minutes.

Image source, Getty Images

Yesterday, Iga Swiatek dropped just three games as she breezed past Emma Navarro to continue her bid for a maiden Melbourne title.

Five-time major winner Swiatek was ruthless in a 6-1 6-2 victory over eighth seed Navarro.

We said Aryna Sabalenka was in good form, but how about Swiatek who has dropped just 14 games at Melbourne Park this year - and seven of those came in her first-round match.

Ominous.

Stay tuned for full Sabalenka on-court reaction. In the meantime, shall we build up to today's other semi-final?