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U.S. OPEN

September 4, 2016

Madison Keys

New York, NY, USA

C. WOZNIACKI/M. Keys

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What happened to you today? Nerves get the best of you out there. Tell me what's going on.
MADISON KEYS: I think it was nerves a little bit. I definitely felt like I got off to a bad start, and then I felt like I was trying to catch up from there.

I definitely don't think I was playing my best. I mean, I think she played really, really well today. I think it was just a combination of me not playing my best and not playing super smart and her playing really well.

I feel like the match just got away from me.

Q. What shot kind of let you down today? Or was it movement? Where was the big letdown do you think, game-wise?
MADISON KEYS: I think just overall I wasn't very solid today. Even the service games I won, a lot I was up 40-Love, 40-15, and it was back to deuce and it was a tight game.

I feel like I was making mistakes and then getting behind in the score and trying to, you know, hit winners just to kind of quickly get back into games.

So I think overall I just -- I don't think I played very well. I don't think I played smart, which I think is the biggest thing.

And then I kind of let the panic set in and tried to go too quick.

Q. You hadn't played her before, but I'm sure you know a lot about Caro Wozniacki. What do you make of her game and what makes her, recently, again, making her so tough when you're out there against her?
MADISON KEYS: She's an amazing mover. She gets a million balls back. I think she does an amazing job keeping the balls deep in the court, so you feel like you can't dictate the point right away, which I think makes people go for things too soon.

I think that's probably one of her biggest strengths.

Q. Did you know that from watching her on TV? Did you always know what made her so tough, or is it different being out there feeling it yourself?
MADISON KEYS: It's different playing, and I think it's different -- seeing it on TV is one thing, but feeling how deep she's hitting the ball and feeling, I can't get on the offense right away, it's totally different watching and playing.

Q. You talked a little bit about maybe being nervous going into it. Was it the nerves knowing you had to play her - she's ranked 74, but former No. 1 and she's very good - early in the tournament, or the prospect of the quarterfinals? I don't know. What do you think triggered the nerves today?
MADISON KEYS: I think it's just playing, you know, in a slam, and once you get into the second week it feels like you're that that much closer.

The first week, even the first round, it's much easier to say, I'm focusing on this round and not worrying about the next round.

Once you're in the second week it seems a little bit closer, and I feel like sometimes I definitely get ahead of myself and I start thinking how much I want it.

Sometimes I can get away from focusing on just point by point. Then that's kind of when the nerves set in.

Q. You have had good results at the last several slams, fourth round and beyond. After a loss like today, do you focus on the fact you're becoming more consistent, or does that kind of get obscured by the emotions of the loss?
MADISON KEYS: A little bit of both. Really happy that I have been able to be more consistent, because that was my main goal all of last year and what I wanted to do.

So really proud of that. But obviously not happy with how I did today and, you know, I wish I had done better.

So I am proud of how I have become more consistent, but I'm also not super happy with how it went today.

Q. (Question regarding adding net game and more dropshots to her game.)
MADISON KEYS: I'm trying. I'm definitely trying. I will try to come to the net more, yes. (Smiling.)

Q. As you take stock in what it will take to advance even further in majors, what do you think will be the key for you?
MADISON KEYS: I think a big thing is being able to manage the emotions. It's part of the sport that you don't always think about. You know, it's easy to go out and practice forehand and backhand, but being in the moment and having to deal with the emotions is what makes it tough.

So I think, one, experience. But, two, being very open about how I was feeling today and maybe talking to the people in my team just so that I can have a better game plan for the next time I'm feeling that way.

Q. Four straight second weeks, but they're not all the same. So which one, I'm curious, kind of stands out as feeling like a victory? Like, yes, I got to the round of 16. Which one feels like maybe that was a letdown, like I only got to the round of 16?
MADISON KEYS: I mean, the French Open, for sure. That was the furthest I have ever gotten, was a big one for me.

And I would probably say even Wimbledon or here, more just because Wimbledon I felt like I was so close and then I started cramping. That wasn't a very good way to go out.

And then today just being disappointed with how I played and not being happy with how the match went. So I would say those two probably tied.

Q. Is there a thought at all - or maybe you have in the past - to use a mental coach?
MADISON KEYS: I have someone. Working on it. (Smiling.)

Q. How is that process coming? Do you feel like you made strides?
MADISON KEYS: I definitely feel like I made strides. And I think the woman that I'm working with is great. She's been super helpful.

I don't think it's going to happen overnight, and there is obviously going to be times when I do things really well and then maybe have a bad match. You know, it's just all learning, and definitely going to take what happened today and go and talk about it and use that as something to work on.

Q. Has she employed any certain mechanisms like journalling or visioning yourself out there? Any specific things she's trying to get you to do?
MADISON KEYS: We are still kind of working on some things. A big thing is trying to figure out how to let go of the point, you know, even if it's just taking a step back and letting it go and turning around and being ready for the next one.

Q. In your final analysis about today, would you say you lost the match or she won the match?
MADISON KEYS: I think it's both. I definitely think she played really well, but I also think there were a lot of opportunities that I had that I didn't take and I didn't do a very good job at.

Q. Did her serve surprise you? You didn't get on her returns as much as you normally like to and she didn't face that many break points during the match.
MADISON KEYS: I think she served very well today. I think she did a really good job mixing it up. It wasn't an easy first serve to read. I think she made a lot of first serves. I felt like I wasn't really getting to dictate off of her second serve.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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