	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 16, 2017

Madison Keys

Cincinnati, Ohio

M. KEYS/D. Kasatkina

6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Great match today. Looked like you were in the zone. Were you in the zone? What does that feel like to be in the zone? What's it feel like?
MADISON KEYS: I definitely think I played really well. I mean, I don't know if I was in the zone per se, but no, everything was going really well. Things kind of just seemed to kind of fall into place and didn't really have to rush anything or stress.

Q. After a long match against Coco and in that incredible heat out there, how relieved are you to get that out of the way quite quickly, especially with Muguruza coming up?
MADISON KEYS: That was definitely nice to not be out there for a long time today. Even though it wasn't very long, I was still drenched afterward. Really good to get back inside into the air conditioning.

Q. Obviously you're known for your serve, your big game, but you won over half of your return points, it looked like today, on first- and second-serve return. Doing anything different or just had a great day?
MADISON KEYS: I mean, I think I just had a really good day. You know, I was doing what I needed to really well and attacking when I needed to attack. I mean, overall I think there wasn't really much that I was unhappy with today.

Q. You had a lot of crowd support out there. Are you aware of people cheering for you all the time, or do you try to block it out?
MADISON KEYS: I mean, I'm definitely aware of it. It's probably the closest thing for a hometown tournament for me. So it's really nice, always really nice to have that.

Q. You were joking in Stanford that going into that tournament you had only won back-to-back matches, once this season.
MADISON KEYS: Yeah.

Q. So now how does it feel to be on a legit winning streak?
MADISON KEYS: It feels good. It's been a while (smiling).

Yeah, no, it feels really good and it feels like things are kind of going in the right direction. Things are kind of just -- I feel like I have stopped forcing everything and taken a big, deep breath and kind of let things happen.

Q. Were you ready for this? I know it sounds funny, but in terms of going into Stanford and not really knowing what was what and how many matches you can get in and things like that, and now you playing so well, does this feel different, I guess?
MADISON KEYS: It was funny, because, I mean, obviously Stanford didn't start off on a super-great note being down a set and a break, but, like, I felt the mental switch in my head where it was just taking the big, deep breath and just thinking, it's okay, I'm going to figure this out.

I feel like I just played really, really calm. And even when I get angry on the court, it's one second and then it's refocused and all of that.

So I feel like that's been the biggest change, and I feel like that's why I'm playing so well.

Q. Did you call Lindsay out, or did she come down on her own just to make you smile?
MADISON KEYS: I definitely called Lindsay out.

Q. She's always smiling when she talks to you.
MADISON KEYS: I'm a great person, so... (Smiling.)

Q. Yes, you are. It's refreshing to have you back on the tour.
MADISON KEYS: Thanks.

Q. Some people cave when they are playing at home more, on home turf, but you seem to really thrive on that. It's got to give you confidence going into New York, surely?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I love it. I mean, the US Open was my first Grand Slam win, and so, for me, it's always really special to play there.

I think you can definitely take it as pressure, but you can also, no matter what the score is, the crowd is always there and they want to help you.

So they have helped me back into matches so many times that I have always thought of it as a positive.

Q. You looked pretty relaxed out there on the court. What are you doing off the court to relax yourself before the matches?
MADISON KEYS: I feel like I'm a pretty relaxed person, so it doesn't take much for me to just sit and lay and just watch movies and stuff (smiling).

Q. So what do you do night to night? Anything special?
MADISON KEYS: I'm legitimately laying on the couch and watch movies, and that's about it.

Q. What are you watching at the moment?
MADISON KEYS: What am I watching? Well, I'm super pumped Game of Thrones is back. Everything else is just kind of like reruns on Netflix because all of my shows are off at the moment.

Q. You were saying that this is as close as you get to a home tournament. Family coming or anything like that? I mean, your sisters are not in school at the moment. Surely they can road trip it down? No?
MADISON KEYS: You would think (smiling). No, one of my sisters just -- she just moved off to college. Yeah, it's terrifying. The other one is very busy with her friends. So that's fine. My mom is coming to the US Open, so it's fine.

Most of the time I have family come. It's close, but it's definitely not close enough where they're just, like, Oh, we'll pop in for a day. It's like a seven-hour drive, so that would be kind of a grind.

Q. What's it like with a younger sister going to college?
MADISON KEYS: I feel so old. I'm, like, Wait. No, I feel like I should just be going into college. Like, how is that happening?

It's also terrifying, because I'm, like, You're going to be, like, responsible for yourself. You have to manage, like, get to school on time and, like, eat, do your own laundry.

I'm a little worried. But she has a lot of friends around her. So I'm hoping as, like, a group they will manage to not get into too much trouble.

Q. Are you expecting calls to come bail her out?
MADISON KEYS: Oh, I got one, like, yesterday because she was legitimately leaving and saying good-bye to our dogs and she was sobbing. I'm, like, It's going to be okay. I promise you you're going to make it. (Laughter.)

Q. I have been asking all the players about diet and particularly sweets and treats. How often do you like to treat yourself? What do you like? What's a favorite candy or ice cream?
MADISON KEYS: I have a huge sweet tooth. For me, it's not having it too often. Every once in a while I let myself have it, but I love dark chocolate. That's usually my go-to.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297