Madison Keys Flags Rising Threat as 23YO Underdog Fuels All-American Tension at French Open

Remember that magical night in Melbourne when American ace Madison Keys etched her name in tennis history, easing past Aryna Sabalenka to claim the AO crown? Since then, however, that dazzling form has faded, with only one SF appearance this season, at Indian Wells, where Sabalenka avenged her loss with a brutal 6-0, 6-1 statement. Yet now, under the Parisian skies, Keys has rediscovered her spark, dancing on the red clay with poise and power to book a spot in the French Open QF. Yet, a formidable opponent awaits in the person of American rising star Hailey Baptiste, presenting Keys with a fierce all-American contest and a challenge to manage her emotions against the 23-year-old!

On Saturday at the French Open, Madison Keys delivered a dramatic comeback, saving 3 match points to edge past fellow American and former GS winner seed Sofia Kenin 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a gripping 3rd-round showdown on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. The 7th seed and reigning AO champion had to dig deep against Kenin, a former French Open finalist and 2020 Australian Open winner.

With the win, Keys advances to the Roland Garros R16 for the fifth time, having previously reached the semifinals in 2018 and the quarterfinals in 2019. But there’s little time to rest; less than an hour after her victory, Keys was already shifting focus to a tough upcoming clash against rising American Hailey Baptiste.

Speaking at her post-match press conference following the dramatic 3rd-round win over Sofia Kenin, Madison Keys praised her upcoming opponent, fellow American Hailey Baptiste. “I think Hailey’s a great player. I feel like she’s really kind of found her form the past, I mean, I would say a year and a half/two years. But especially the past couple of months, she’s had some really great wins and is playing some really good tennis. I’m not surprised. I’ve seen her growing up,” Keys said.

The 30-year-old, now focused on reaching another GS quarterfinal, also emphasized the challenge Baptiste presents on court. “I think she’s had incredible talent the entire time, so really happy for her to see all of the success that she’s having and kind of putting that all together and climbing up the rankings. All that said, I think it’s going to be a really tough match. She’s very talented. She has a lot of tangibles and she knows how to kind of mix up paces and knows but can also all of a sudden absolutely crack the ball. So going to be a really tough match. But looking forward to it,” she added.

For the unversed, Hailey Baptiste‘s pivotal moment occurred earlier on Saturday when she decisively overcame Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (7-6(4), 6-1), thereby qualifying for the Round of 16 of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. The 88-minute victory not only marked a career milestone but also served as sweet revenge for Baptiste, who had narrowly lost to the Spaniard in a Challenger final in Mexico last year after squandering 4 championship points.

Their upcoming matchup has an intriguing backstory as well. Baptiste famously upset Keys as a teenager during her WTA debut in Washington, DC in 2019, marking her 1st Top 20 and Top 100 win while playing in her hometown. “It was my first WTA match,” Baptiste recalled. “I had a lot of nerves and a lot of excitement, and I was obviously playing somebody that I looked up to. I was just loose, having fun, I was in my hometown.”

However, since then, Keys has claimed victory in their 2 subsequent meetings, including a tight 3-setter earlier this year at Indian Wells. But with Baptiste now surging, especially on clay, both players know this will be no ordinary clash! 

The stage is set for a fierce battle as Keys eyes another deep Grand Slam run, and Baptiste looks to continue her breakout journey.

Madison Keys opens up about the challenges Kenin brought to the court

On Saturday, reigning AO champion Madison Keys showcased nerves of steel to survive a gripping 3rd-round showdown against fellow American Sofia Kenin at Parisian Clay. After dropping the 1st set, Keys faced 4 break points early in the 2nd but held firm to take a 2-1 lead. That pivotal hold became her turning point, allowing her to cruise through the rest of the set and level the match.

However, the 3rd set brought more drama! Keys found herself trailing 3-0 and then down 5-4, where she had to fend off 3 match points. Using her trademark power, she blasted her way out of trouble with some of her hardest-hitting shots of the night. Once she escaped that pressure, the momentum swung her way!

She broke Kenin’s serve to go up 6-5, her first lead of the final set, and then fired back-to-back aces to earn match point. In a gutsy two-hour, 20-minute battle, Keys sealed the win and acknowledged just how hard-fought it was for her.

“Obviously a really tough match,” Keys added afterwards. “I think [Kenin] played especially well, and having to save those match points, I really just tried to dig deep. I really wanted to make sure that she won the point and I didn’t give it away.”

Now, as Keys prepares for her next test, the intensity only rises. Tomorrow, center court will see another thrilling chapter, and the question remains: who are you backing among these two WTA stars?

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