dpThere is no doubt Swan is putting up a fight here and the scoreline doesn’t reflect her industriousness on the court. But at this level, you have to take your chances and Swan is just falling short.
The crowd is really appreciating her efforts against the hard-hitting American who, incidentally, has one of the most powerful forehands on the tour – in this championship already she’s reached speeds of up to 80mph, which is better than the average for most male players.
A cute lob by Swan at 3-1, 15-40 down on the Keys’ serve elicited roars and she followed it up with a sublime cross-court backhand which outfoxed the American.
And then she brought up the break point by winning the rally of the match so far. Keys had Swan chasing shadows but the Briton managed to hang in there and Keys’ net volley spun into the tramlines. Her entourage were on their feet and even Swan couldn’t quite believe it.
