By Shrivathsa Sridhar MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys made rocky starts on Thursday but eventually secured contrasting victories to set up a heavy metal Australian Open final showdown that will pit two of the game's big hitters against each other.

Madison Keys saved a match point and upset No. 2 Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) in a high-intensity Australian Open semifinal to reach a Grand Slam title match for the second time in her career.

Madison Keys has a chance for tennis immortality again — and it took everything she had to get there. The 29-year-old American stunned No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek at the Australian Open with a dizzying display of power and shot-making to advance to the Grand Slam final, taking the thrilling third set in a tiebreaker.