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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 23, 2016

Madison Keys

Kallang, Singapore

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just talk about the match today. What didn't you feel out there? Was it nerves? The occasion? Simona? The courts?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I definitely think there were some nerves. I don't think that's super surprising. But, yeah, no, I think Simona played really well.

The court was definitely playing a little bit slower so seemed like I had to go for more and more shots. Yeah, you know, I think there were some things that I did pretty well. I think I served well at times and I think at the end I started returning a little bit better.

So this is kind of a unique situation where I get to take the things that I liked and take the things I didn't like and move on and get to play another match.

Q. Can you get us through how did it feel to walk out there for the first time here?
MADISON KEYS: It was a big moment. It was really great, and it was obviously a very new feeling for me.

Then once I got on the court I definitely felt the nerves of the occasion.

Q. It's an odd situation because you guys are all veterans in some way, but this is a brand new tournament. It's not often you get to go to a tournament you've never been to at a stage you've never been to. Curious what was going on in your mind as you're standing there in the tunnel and about to walk out? Does it feel -- not that it feels like everything -- but in your mind is the same thing going on as any other tournament?
MADISON KEYS: Definitely doesn't feel like any other tournament. I think it's been a while since I've gone to a tournament and it's all felt new and it was new nerves and new occasion. So that was kind of difficult to deal with.

I think at the beginning of the second set I felt like I settled in a little better. There was that game where I didn't serve well at the end of the second, and I think a couple points here and there and could have been a different second set.

Q. Obviously this wasn't a nervy situation for you, but obviously all she's had some good success against you. Is there something she does that makes you uncomfortable out there, or so you think you're a risk taker and she's just kind of a back-court player?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, she gets a lot of balls back. You know, I think her strength is -- one of her strengths is making you feel like you have to go for more and taking the risk.

I think just going in and knowing she's going to get the balls back but continuing to play my game is the big thing. I think sometimes she makes me uncomfortable and I back away from playing my game and start going for things in a way that I shouldn't.

That's something I'm going to have to work on.

Q. When you say that you got a chance to take what you liked and didn't like, obviously on the tour you get to do that week on week on week. Here you just get another crack of the whip in another days' time. Mentally how do you adjust for that?
MADISON KEYS: I don't know. I've never done it before.

Q. Mentally how will you adjust?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, no, I think it's one of those things where you can't get too down on yourself because you do have to bounce back so quickly. Usually you have a couple days to kind of process everything.

So I definitely think we're going to sit down and talk about the match and look at who I'm playing in the next round and see what I can do better in practice and go out and do that tomorrow.

Q. This is your first match of your first WTA Finals. What are some things you learned today that you can take into your next round robin match?
MADISON KEYS: You know, I just think having a match under my belt there is a little bit less nerves going out next time and I can go and play with nothing to lose.

But I think I the biggest thing is just being excited that I getting to out and play another match here.

Q. Madison, on paper your forehand return or return should seemingly be able to take advantage of her second serve; didn't pan out today. Do you think that's pure just your forehand return wasn't on particularly in that first set at times or under pressure? An execution issue? Is there something that you're seeing that we don't that makes it difficult to return that serve?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I think today a big thing was this court stays really low. The ball doesn't bounce up very high. I think for me I was definitely getting caught either too far behind the ball or kind of running into it. I wasn't timing it super well.

So, yeah, probably make my hitting partner hit eight million serves to me tomorrow.

Q. One of the things you said was it played a bit slower. Did you see a massive difference between how it plays when you're practicing, when it's empty and there is not a million bodies in there and tonight when it's full?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, it was definitely a lot hotter out there today. I was not expecting that.

Yeah, I mean, I think the slower court is just -- it seems slower just because she gets to everything. So it's kind of two things that make a bad combination.

So, yeah, I just feel like it was kind of a combination of her getting to a lot of balls and the ball just being a little bit slower here.

Q. I was wondering one thing: 4-All in the second set she breaks you with this pretty impressive backhand. How do you personally react when your opponent hits a fantastic shot at the right time?
MADISON KEYS: You know, kind of maybe said a bad word in my head, and then it was just too good. You know, she's going to hit that, then she deserves to hit that winner and move on.

Q. Had you ever played like a round robin format? Like junior Fed Cup or anything, or is this literally your first time having to come back and not being done?
MADISON KEYS: Maybe in like junior Fed Cup we played a round robin of some sort, but nothing I can really remember.

Q. Since you don't have a ton of experience of this process with losing and coming back, how much has Thomas been talking to you about it? He's obviously coached players who have played this way; he's familiar with it. Is he trying to help with you tips of how different this event is? And what has he said, if so?
MADISON KEYS: I haven't really gotten to talk to him much about it. I'm sure we're going to talk about it. His biggest thing is just you have another match. Let's just go out and focus on that and try to just leave this one behind you.

Q. Very serious question: The Cubs?
MADISON KEYS: Go Cubs! Best part of my day.

Q. Have you talked to anybody at home about how excited everybody is?
MADISON KEYS: My grandpa was very excited; my cousin was very excited. I have a couple Sox fans as friends, so didn't really talk to them.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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