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INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIAMay 12, 2016Madison KeysRome, Italy M. KEYS/T. Babos 7-6, 6-3 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Pretty good first few matches here in Rome. This match was sort of heavy between the two of you until the tiebreaker, and from there on out it looked like you had things a little bit more under control. How do you feel about the match? MADISON KEYS: The first set was definitely back and forth, just big serving. Neither one of us could kind of get a read on where the other person was serving. But there was a couple of points in the tiebreaker where I really kind of put the point together a little bit better. Then after that, I just got a little bit more rhythm and confidence, and then from there I was able to break early in the second. That definitely helped the momentum kind of go more towards my side. Q. Has this week felt any different in Rome compared to weeks in Rome for you in the past? MADISON KEYS: Well, I'm winning matches, and that's different (smiling). Q. You said it, not me. MADISON KEYS: I usually don't do great here. And so, you know, putting a couple wins together felt really good. I'm not going to jinx it (rapping knuckles on the table). But, yeah, it feels like I'm kind of figuring it out just a little bit better. From there, you know, I'm putting more points together and kind of putting it all together a little bit better than before. Q. Physically how are you kind of holding up through the Madrid and Rome swing so far with matches and everything like that? You're feeling good out there? MADISON KEYS: So far, so good (rapping knuckles on the table). Knock on wood. Q. I think it's been progress to get the sliding and the movement on clay under your belt or to get that going over the past few years. How do you feel that's come along? Not just this season but from 2012, something like that, 2013? MADISON KEYS: I feel like I always moved pretty well on clay. Sliding wasn't ever really an issue. It was just winning a match. Q. Well, you got the splits down, so... MADISON KEYS: Exactly. Yeah. So I definitely -- movement has been a big thing, just feeling more comfortable. But for me it was kind of finding the balance between playing aggressive enough but also playing with the surface and knowing it's not going to be, you know, as quick as other surfaces. Q. Do you notice, as someone who maybe didn't grow up as much on clay from Europe, do you notice the differences obviously from Madrid and the altitude and sea level here in Rome and different clay altogether in Paris? How do you feel those are comparing or preparing you even for Paris? MADISON KEYS: Madrid is obviously very different from here. The first day in Madrid I couldn't put a ball in the court. Then I came here and I felt like I could hit as hard as I possibly could and the ball would go in. But I think even here, even just the different courts are different. The center court is much faster than grandstand. So I think it's just getting used to the ball. But I think each week you kind of know it's going to be a little bit different. But that's just kind of how every tournament is. Q. Are you more comfortable when you can just wind up and hit like you can here in Rome and not worry about the ball flying into the back fence? Or do you like the speed that you get in Madrid? MADISON KEYS: It's kind of a double-edged sword where you get kind of the pop that I'm more used to being on a hard court or grass court, but then at the same time I will connect with the ball and it will feel so good and it hits the back fence on the fly. I'm like, But that felt so good. So it's weird because I feel like you'll hit the ball the exact same three times and you hit two winners and one outside. So it's a love/hate kind of relationship. I think I like it a little bit more here where, you know, I can kind of keep the ball in a little bit more. And I'm never really one to struggle for power, so I probably prefer not altitude. Q. How does it feel to make your biggest clay court quarterfinal? MADISON KEYS: It feels really good. It hasn't totally like hit me. Just keeping my head down. One more match, one more match, not really thinking about the situation. Q. Do you think it was a good thing to just be in tournament mode and go through the matches without even realizing that it is one of your best clay court results at least on European clay? MADISON KEYS: For sure. It's easy to get ahead of yourself and overthink things and put yourself in a round before you've actually even played. I think it happens to everyone at times. So just really being focused on each match and doing what you need to do in that match has been a big thing for me. Q. What's the first thing you look forward to when coming to Rome? MADISON KEYS: You know what the answer is. Come on. (Smiling.) You know I'm going to say gelato. (Smiling.) Q. Are you going to watch the match tonight between Barbora and Genie? That's your potential quarterfinal opponent. MADISON KEYS: I found that out about 10 minutes ago. Yeah, really excited to watch that. (Laughter.) We'll see who wins. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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