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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 3, 2017

Madison Keys

Wimbledon, London, England

M. KEYS/N. Hibino

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had surgery again after the French Open? If you did, how is it going? How did you feel today?
MADISON KEYS: I did. It feels much, much better now compared to the previous months.

Q. No effects playing today? Could you feel it out there?
MADISON KEYS: I mean, it's obviously not perfect, like I haven't been able to do the repetitions that ideally I would have wanted to do, but it feels fine. Doesn't hurt anymore. That's really all I care about.

Q. What questions might you have answered about the wrist in your performance today? Because after surgery I assume there were some doubts?
MADISON KEYS: There was definitely some doubt. I will say no one on my team wanted me to play here, so coming out and having a good match and hitting some good backhands kind of eased everyone's minds a bit.

Q. So what were those discussions like?
MADISON KEYS: They were mostly me saying, I'm playing, and them saying, Hmm, maybe not the best idea. And I was like, But we're going, so it will be fine.

Q. During the match, for yourself what doubts did you answer? You described their doubts. What about you?
MADISON KEYS: To be honest, it really wasn't even in my head. I haven't had any pain, so it hasn't really been in my mind much.

Yeah, I just went out and there was a couple of things that I needed to focus on. I just focused on those instead of worrying about anything else.

Q. After a lack of match practice recently, did you feel like that was exactly the kind of match you needed?
MADISON KEYS: For sure. I definitely think, obviously the first match on grass is never easy, and also, you know, coming back and not having any matches beforehand, obviously not ideal, but I felt really good about it today. Once I kind of got in a rhythm, I felt really good about it.

Q. I noticed that it sort of seemed to take a few games for you to get into that rhythm. Was that all you felt you needed to get into a rhythm and then suddenly everything would start to flow in your game?
MADISON KEYS: A little bit, but also, I mean, nerves the first round and not having matches and all of that. I think that was a big component of the beginning of the match.

And once I kind of worked my way into the match, I felt a lot better.

Q. When you were telling your team that you're coming here, what in you gave you the confidence that you actually could come here and do well? I mean, what was your argument, I would say?
MADISON KEYS: I don't know if it was confidence or if it was just pure stubbornness. It was, you know, so much of my year. I'm just so excited about grass court. And the thought of grinding through the clay court season and then missing my favorite surface, it wasn't going to happen.

Q. Who on your team was the most resistant?
MADISON KEYS: Max. Shocker (smiling).

Q. What was he saying?
MADISON KEYS: Mostly just -- he just didn't want me to put a lot of stress on myself for first match back and be too hard on myself.

So today after the match I saw him, and I just made a funny face at him. He's like, I got it. You were right. So good day.

Q. Camila Giorgi next. Thoughts on that? She's not someone who is going to engage you in too many long rallies, which I'm guessing you may not mind.
MADISON KEYS: Darn. It will be a sad one (smiling).

No, obviously it's going to be quick rallies and pretty much who gets a good first strike.

Yeah, you never really know. Sometimes she'll hit a winner and sometimes she won't (smiling).

It's really just going to be weathering the storm and trying to just focus on what I can do.

Q. You say you love playing on the grass so much. What is it about this surface that you love?
MADISON KEYS: I think it just really suits my game. That's pretty much, I just always feel really good and confident on it. I feel no one's movement on grass is amazing but I feel pretty comfortable moving on it, as well.

Q. What were the nerves like last night? Was it the same as any other eve of your first match at a major? Were you more nervous? Did you sleep well? What was the night like?
MADISON KEYS: Funny enough, I was okay, like, all night and all morning. I was, like, Oh, I'm fine. I stepped on the court and, I'm, like, Oh, my God, I'm so nervous, like, immediately.

Definitely had to work through that the next couple of games. And then once I did, I felt really good. I feel like I settled in fairly quickly.

Q. Earlier in the year you came out against cyber bullying and spoke about it at some great length in Paris. Are you aware that the president issued a tweet the other day which some saw --
MADISON KEYS: Oh, wow, you're going to suck me into that, really? Oh, God.

I think no matter who you are, what you do, just be nice. Like, let's just stop being bullies face to face, online, whatever. Just stop. That's pretty much all I'm going to say on that.

Q. Now that you've got a win under your belt, feeling more confident, no ill effects with the wrist, do you have any expectations about how far you can go in the tournament?
MADISON KEYS: Let's not get ahead of ourselves (smiling).

I played one really good match. You know, just really looking forward to working on things that I need to and taking that into the next round. There's really no expectations here. It's just pure happiness that I was able to get myself healthy enough to play here.

Q. What would be a highlight for you on grass throughout your career so far, just a specific match, even if it wasn't you winning the trophy but something that comes to mind?
MADISON KEYS: On grass? I mean, I would say last year, winning -- kind of a lot of things happened on grass for me last year. Made the top 10, made my second title. Kind of Birmingham as a whole last year was probably definitely my highlight.

Q. Do you feel that second surgery to your wrist has alleviated all concerns? Are you completely free and clear in your mind?
MADISON KEYS: For sure. I definitely think the second surgery has helped tremendously, and, yeah, I feel really good about it now.

Q. You're friends with Laura who has also had wrist issues. How much have you talked about that? Is that something you just don't touch?
MADISON KEYS: Well, we went to the same place for surgery. She definitely kind of eased my mind on the surgeon and all of that. I felt really good about where I was going.

Other than that, we have pretty much just, like, we could look at each other, and, Yeah, it sucks. But we don't talk about it much in length.

Q. Your relationship with Wimbledon, you love it, it's great, you killed yourself to get here. But it's also been a very emotional tournament for you over the years, wins, losses, whatever, here. How would you kind of describe or articulate your relationship with this tournament and what it kind of means with you in your career?
MADISON KEYS: There has been a lot of highs and there's been a lot of lows here (smiling).

I think so much of it for me is that I just love this tournament so much, and I want to do well that when I do well and I feel really great about myself, you're on such a high. Then obviously when it doesn't happen and you want it so badly, it's devastating.

So I think over time I think my biggest goal is to kind of mellow out a bit (smiling).

Q. You mentioned how good Birmingham was for you last year. How disappointed were you not to go back and be able to try and defend that title?
MADISON KEYS: I was disappointed about it, but at the same time, I knew it wasn't even an option. I think I would have been more upset had it kind of been on the table and then taken off last minute.

I mean, who better to win it than Petra?

Q. What were your thoughts on Petra winning that title?
MADISON KEYS: Every time I watch her play now, I'm, like, an emotional wreck and crying and everything. I try not to watch too many of her matches.

But, I mean, it's an amazing, amazing comeback. I don't think there's a nicer person that all of us are cheering for.

Q. She's like the odds makers' favorite this tournament to win the whole thing, which seems like nuts from the outside.
MADISON KEYS: But it's Petra. Really? Pretty much any time she's on grass you're like, Yeah, she could win.

Q. How surprised are you at what she's been able to do just a few months after what happened to her?
MADISON KEYS: I'm not really surprised. She's such a champion. She obviously handled the situation so well from the start. I'm not really surprised more I'm really happy for her.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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