Madison Keys’ Australian Open triumph was nothing short of spectacular. She defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling three-set final, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. At 29, she became the second-oldest woman to win her maiden Australian Open title in the Open Era. After multiple attempts and injury setbacks, she finally joined the elite club of Grand Slam champions. But success comes with pressure. Like Billie Jean King said, “Pressure is a privilege — it only comes to those who earn it.” Just ask Serena Williams, who held the No. 1 ranking for 319 weeks. And now Keys is feeling it too!
Her path to victory made history. Keys became the oldest player to defeat the World No. 1 and No. 2 in a Grand Slam semifinal and final since WTA rankings began in 1975. Serena Williams herself was thrilled and congratulated Keys on her breakthrough moment. After this monumental victory, the 30-year-old went onto reach the semi-final of the Indian Wells but lost to Aryna Sabalenka as she avenged her AO loss.
She suffered an early exit at the Miami Open, losing in the second round to 19-year-old wildcard Alexandra Eala. Now, she’s shifting her focus to the clay courts. The No. 2 seed has made a strong start in Charleston, securing a 6-3, 7-6(4) victory over Caroline Dolehide in the second round. That win didn’t come easy. Dolehide saved seven match points before Keys finally sealed the deal on the eighth. After the match, the reigning Australian Open champion praised her opponent, saying she played some of her “best tennis” on those crucial points. It raises an interesting question: Do players elevate their level when they face a Grand Slam champion?
Serena Williams once said opponents play their best against her. She had once said, “And it’s interesting because I don’t even scout as much because when I watch them play, it’s a totally different game then when they play me. That’s what makes me great, I always play everyone at their greatest, so I have to be greater.”
When asked about this in a Tennis Channel interview, Keys agreed and said, “I definitely think so, and I think that’s just the reality of it. It’s always a lot of fun to be chasing someone, but it’s not as much fun to be the person that’s being chased. I think that’s just the reality of winning a Slam. And, you know, as you climb the rankings, that’s just how it kind of goes. But it means that you’re doing something pretty good and that you’re in a pretty good position.”
But it’s not just the wins that matter! Even losses to top players can provide perspective.
Madison Keys reveals how a loss to Serena Williams changed her mindset
Madison Keys reflected on her fourth-round loss to Serena at the 2015 US Open. She fell 6-3, 6-3 to the 23-time Grand Slam champion but walked away with a crucial lesson.
“I think after I lost to Serena at the US Open in the semifinals (it was the round of 16), the biggest thing that I walked away with from that match was thinking I never want to regret not playing the big moments the way that I want to play them ever again. I don’t care if I lose, I don’t care if I hit the forehand into the back fence, but if I hit it the way that I wanted to hit it and I was going after it, I can live with that. I don’t want to live with… I was hands shaking and the ball barely made it over the net or rolled into the net,” she said on the WTA Insider podcast.
In a surprising twist, Serena Williams didn’t go on to win that tournament. She was upset in the semifinals by unseeded Roberta Vinci, who played “out of her mind” to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Keys’ own journey was filled with ups and downs. She made her Grand Slam debut at 16, winning her first-round match at the US Open. But despite the hype, it took her 46 main draw Slam appearances to win a major. Deep runs, early exits, and a runner-up finish at the 2017 US Open were all part of the ride. But at long last, she got her hands on a Grand Slam trophy at Melbourne Park.
The 30-year-old isn’t stopping here. She’s back in action in Charleston, looking to add another title to her collection. Her next opponent? The winner of the match between Catherine McNally and 14th seed Anna Kalinskaya. Can Madison Keys keep this momentum going on the clay courts?
The post “Fun To Be Chasing Someone,” Madison Keys and Serena Williams Walk in the Same Shoes As Post-Slam Pressure Tightens appeared first on EssentiallySports.
