Madison Keys Opens Up About Her Return After Australian Open Win

Madison Keys has shared her thoughts on returning to tennis after winning her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.

The 30-year-old American claimed the biggest victory of her career by defeating World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final, stopping the Belarusian from winning the tournament for a third consecutive year.

After her triumph in Melbourne, Keys took a break from competing and did not return until the Indian Wells Masters in the United States. Since then, she has admitted that coming back to the tour was more challenging than she expected.

Speaking at the Charleston Open, where she started her campaign with a 6-3, 7-6(4) win over Caroline Dolehide, Keys reflected on her return to competition.

“Taking time at home was really important, but stepping back on court for the first time was something I wasn’t 100% prepared for.”

Now ranked at a career-high No.5, Keys hopes to build on her Australian Open success and continue her strong form in the coming months.

At Indian Wells, Sabalenka got her revenge, defeating Keys in the semi-finals while dropping just one game.

Keys admitted she felt physically and mentally drained after coming through tough matches earlier in the tournament.

“Losing like that in front of a big crowd isn’t fun,” she said.
“It was an emotional rollercoaster for me that week, even more than I expected after the Australian Open.”

“I think I just ran out of energy. Against a player like Aryna, you have to play well. I’m trying to move on and pretend it never happened.”

Now back in action, Keys is focused on improving her game and continuing her journey as a Grand Slam champion.