Madison Keys escapes Diana Shnaider in Queen’s Club comeback

Madison Keys continued a career-best season with a run into the HSBC Championships semifinals on Friday, the Australian Open champion rallying from a set down to dispatch Diana Shnaider, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

“Diana played so well, and she’s always such a tricky opponent,” Keys said on court after the match. “So, I definitely had to raise my level after the first set, and then really just tried to get one return game to be able to break. I’m just really happy that I was able to figure that out.”

The No. 2 seed kicked off the 2025 season by winning her maiden major title in Melbourne; playing the first women’s tournament in Queen’s Club in over 50 years, Keys is looking confident after a solid clay swing, edging into the final four in two hours in six minutes.

“I definitely like a warm, sunny day, being a Floridian,” Keys said, adding with a laugh, “This is a nice winter day in Florida!

“I’m definitely happy when it’s nice and warm and the ball is moving through the court a little bit more.”

Keys earned a career-high ranking of No. 5 earlier this season; down to No. 8 this week, the American could find herself in position to crack the Top 4 for the first time if she wins her fourth grass-court title this week. Top seed Zheng Qinwen could also grab the mantle with a strong result in Queen’s Club; the two can’t face off before the final.

Standing between Keys and a spot in the final is Tatjana Maria, who upset 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, 6-4, 7-6 (4). In the meantime, Keys will be drawing strength—if not always technical advice—from coach and husband Bjorn Fratangelo.

“Sometimes I don’t like where he’s telling me to serve,” teased Keys, a two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist, “so I just take it as an option and I choose to do something else. It’s why we work so well together.”