“That Was Fun but…”- Fire Burns Differently as Madison Keys Shares Her Evolving Focus Before Roland-Garros

“Right now it sucks, but yeah, I just think being able to take this and turn it into a positive is possible. There’s still a lot to be proud of and tons of tennis to play,” a teary-eyed Madison Keys said after her crushing SF loss to Aryna Sabalenka at the 2023 US Open. That emotional moment saw her miss out on a dream final, which was later won by Coco Gauff. But her long-standing wish finally came true earlier this year when she lifted her maiden GS title at the Australian Open. Now, four months later, as she gears up for another shot at glory in Paris, the World No. 5 isn’t putting any unnecessary pressure on herself.

Madison Keys’ post-January form has taken a noticeable dip. After reaching the SF at Indian Wells, she suffered an early exit in both the Miami Open and Charleston Open. 

Her clay-court campaign hasn’t fared much better as either, despite showing promise. Keys recently fell in the QF to Polish star Iga Świątek, the very player she defeated at the AO in her dream run to the final. Now, as she prepares for the Italian Open, Keys is setting her sights on Roland-Garros. However, instead of putting added pressure on herself, she’s choosing a grounded mindset. 

During the pre-tournament press conference for the Italian Open, Maddie was questioned about her emotions regarding participating in another major tournament following her victory in Australia. According to the American ace, “I haven’t really gotten that far but, I mean to be completely honest, it will probably feel the same as any other Grand Slam. I think that there’s something that’s like it’s the first time that I no longer have that as my main goal. So I think there’s kind of some personal things where you started shifting your perspective a little bit, and it’s in that case, it’s different.”

Madison Keys USA mit dem Pokal, Trophäe, Siegerehrung, Presentation, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Madison Keys USA with the cup, trophy, award ceremony, presentation, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx

She later clarified that her primary objective was to win a Grand Slam at the Australian Open, an ambition she ultimately achieved, notwithstanding her further aspirations at Roland Garros. “But I think at the same time, the reality is it’s you’ve just won another tournament and yes, it’s the biggest one but at the end of the day I think you will hear all of us say you win the one and you are not really satisfied and you want to win another. So in that way, it’s kind of okay, that was great, that was fun, but kind of worry about the next one and try to get another one,” Madison added. 

Featuring in the AO final was a monumental achievement for Madison Keys, a moment that felt like the culmination of a long, winding journey. Keys was once hailed as the next big thing in women’s tennis when she turned professional on her 14th birthday. She made headlines immediately, defeating the 81st seed Alla Kudryavtseva in straight sets and becoming the 7th-youngest player to win a WTA Tour-level match at just 14 years and 48 days.

Now, 15 years later, Keys has finally broken through a major barrier. Before Melbourne, her best GS result was a runner-up finish to close friend Sloane Stephens at the 2017 US Open. By reaching this year’s AO final, she ended the longest gap between a player’s first and second Slam finals in the Open Era, almost eight years. And to win it all, downing Aryna Sabalenka under the Melbourne lights, was a fairytale ending long overdue!

Now gearing up for the Italian Open and eyeing Roland-Garros, the 30-year-old has candidly shared the struggles she faced after her GS glory, offering an honest glimpse into the emotional toll and pressure that followed even her sweetest triumph.

Madison Keys opens up after post-match struggles after winning the AO

Madison Keys stunned the world in January by defeating defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to claim her maiden GS title at Melbourne Major, becoming the oldest first-time women’s champion there. But the fairytale win came with unexpected intensity. Keys later revealed she didn’t even get to drink water for nearly an hour post-match, and it took much longer to finally shower and change. An overwhelming media whirlwind delayed the victory celebrations.

Speaking at the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, Madison remarked, “Immediately from the court, I went and did six live TV interviews in a row. I hadn’t even showered yet and had no food. At one point, I was like, “I am so thirsty. I haven’t had a drink of water. It’s been like an hour.”

Subsequently, she also disclosed her difficulties in obtaining adequate sleep. “I did that, and then finally had 20 minutes and had drug testing after that. I finally took a shower, shovelled food in my face and did another two hours of media. We got back to the hotel at almost three and of course then I’m like, “I can’t sleep!,”

Now, with a first-round bye at the Italian Open, Keys will face either Varvara Gracheva or Ajla Tomljanovic in her opener. As she readies herself for Paris, all eyes will be on whether the American can rediscover her form on Rome’s red clay and build momentum for Roland-Garros!

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