Madison Keys plays for her third career title on Sunday after a show-stopping semifinal performance against Kristina Kucova at the Coupe Rogers. The tenth seed had only two balls get past her on Saturday as she controlled play from all aspects. Kucova lacked energy in her seventh match of the week, but the Slovak will move into the world's top 100 come Monday.
Keys clinches four straight games to take opening set, faces zero break points
The first point of the match saw Keys spray a forehand into the doubles alley, but she quickly grabbed four straight points, including an ace to wrap up the game. An error-filled second game from both players followed and it was Kucova who was able to dig out a lengthy hold. The match stayed on serve as another ace sprinted off of the American's racquet. The score sat at 2-1 in Keys favor before their first sit down. Kucova kept the match in its pattern with a hold to 30 before immediately losing the next game to love thanks to the massive serves from Keys. The 10th seed then extended her lead to four games to two after capitalizing on her second break point opportunity.
The young American kept striving towards the first-set finish line. She held, yet again, with having only dropped five points on serve in four service games. They exchanged ends with all the pressure on the Slovakian qualifier as she was to serve to stay in the opening set. Down 2-5, Kucova was unable to put together a solid service game. She fired a two-handed forehand into the net to mark the conclusion of the set as she did not perform her best with having hit a total of one winner in the first eight games.
Keys cruises into the final, impressively closes out the qualifier
A smooth backhand winner from Keys kicked off the second set. Kucova failed to come up with an answer for the American's power as she was fatigue from playing six previous matches north of the border this week. The Slovak continued to display her tiredness and a double fault to give Keys the break was costly. The American did not let up at all and soon held easily for a 6-2, 3-0 lead. With the on-court struggles came the tears from Kucova as she lacked any momentum or energy to counter the massive strokes possessed by Keys.
However, the qualifier did have some fight left in her. Kucova held on tight with a strong service game. The winners became second nature for the American and four straight winners put her within two games of making Sunday's final. This time, the Slovak could not make some noise on serve with back-to-back double faults. Keys wrapped up the insurance break to give herself a chance to serve out the semifinal match. Keys stepped up to serve as she led 6-2, 5-1, and three strong serves later, arrived at three match points. The 10th seed closed out a nearly flawless final-four match with a beautiful passing shot on the run.
American faces Halep for Coupe Rogers title
Keys takes on last year's finalist in Toronto, Simona Halep, on Sunday. The American and the Romanian have their fourth career matchup scheduled as the first match on Central this Sunday. Halep leads their series two wins to one, however, Keys has won their one-and-only meeting on the hard courts. It will be an interesting encounter of power, placement, and emotions. Will Keys lift her first hard-court title or will Halep better her 2015 performance north of the border?