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WUHAN OPEN

September 24, 2018

Madison Keys

Wuhan, Hubei, China

M. KEYS/Wang Yafan

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Good opening win. How did it feel to get back on court? How do you think you played today?
MADISON KEYS: Overall pretty happy with how I played today. It's always tough to play someone who not only, you know, home tournament, but also has had a couple of wins on these courts.

I was really happy. I think other than maybe a couple points here or there if I'm nitpicking, overall pretty happy. Always good to get a win after being away for a little bit.

Q. How long did the racquet stay in the bag after New York?
MADISON KEYS: Probably like five days, then I was back at it. So for me, that was like a long break. But it was good. I was excited to get back out on the court.

Q. What is kind of your mindset going into this end section of the season? Do you have like broader-term goals, short-term goals for the next few weeks?
MADISON KEYS: I think the biggest thing is just obviously trying to do as well as I can, but having no points, kind of trying to set myself up for the best position that I can be in for 2019, which some days is a struggle. But being really honest, saying today is not so easy, it's a big thing. I think it makes it a little bit easier.

But having the bigger goal of, okay, it's not just the next couple of weeks, it's, you know, being in a good position in January.

Q. I know it's not the end of the season yet, but what are you most proud of so far this year?
MADISON KEYS: I think there's been a lot of things that have happened this year where I haven't been able to have a super consistent year as far as consistently playing. But I feel like, for the most part, when I've been playing tournaments, I've been doing pretty well, I've been having good runs, things like that.

To have that, other than Wimbledon third round, having really good runs in slams is something I'm proud of.

Q. Mathematically you can still make Singapore.
MADISON KEYS: Mathematically (laughter).

Q. Are you thinking about that at all? Are you looking at points? Does it motivate you to look at points? Does it distract you?
MADISON KEYS: I think I know that it's possible, so that's also part of, Okay, every match matters, let's do our best. But at the same time I'm in a different position than I was last time because last time it was so close that it was like every single match I was calculating who was winning and losing.

It's a little bit different being in a position where I know I'd have to have two really great runs. So it's a little bit of pressure off of my back. At the same time, it still motivates me to wake up and get to practice every day.

Q. It was pointed out to me today that last year Garcia was 16 in the race at this point, then she won back-to-back. Is that something you can think of, Okay, I can do that?
MADISON KEYS: I mean, mathematically it's possible (smiling).

I think it's possible. I mean, it's still there. That's part of the drive of, okay, every single match matters. I need to keep doing what I need to do off the court and in the gym, all of that, keep my mind fresh, because it is possible. So that's definitely in the back of my mind.

Q. I wanted to ask you about the US Open. There was obviously a little bit of controversy, quite a lot, about what happened in the women's final. Serena raised the issue of sexism in the way umpires treat men and women players. How do you see that?
MADISON KEYS: I think that the whole situation, it was extremely unfortunate that a match was going the way that it was going, especially for Naomi, to be playing so well, be in the final, then all of that to happen.

I mean, I was, like, the first words out of her mouth after she won her first Grand Slam were, I'm sorry. I felt so bad. I mean, it was just really sad watching it all unfold. Knowing Serena personally, I know that it felt like a very personal attack, as well.

So I think everyone was just, you know -- it was unfortunate, it was emotional. I think we can maybe look at past things and see how other situations were handled, specifically in the US Open, which kind of raises some eyebrows.

I think overall it was just a really unfortunate experience. I think we should probably look at it more closely and see if there is a bigger issue. If there is, it's something that needs to be addressed.

Q. Is that something you have experienced, a difference in treatment, how you were treated on the court with an umpire compared to a man maybe?
MADISON KEYS: I don't know if it's something that I've personally had to deal with. I feel like if I'm having a bad day, it's not usually as much outwardly. So I don't think I've dealt with even codes as much. I can't really personally talk about it. I think it's something that needs to be addressed because there have been instances where people have felt that way.

Q. I wanted to ask you about Naomi. You played her in the US Open. Now that maybe time has passed, maybe the loss is not fresh in your mind, but what do you make of the way she played, won, then made the final in Tokyo?
MADISON KEYS: She was extremely impressive. I remember playing her in the match thinking, Okay, I hit a good ball, maybe something short is going to come back, and it was not. Just I kept thinking like, Okay, there will be a let-up, somewhere I'll be able to get back in it. I mean, even any of the breakpoints that I had, I had no shot.

I walked away obviously very disappointed, but at the same time to play someone who was playing at that level, I was actually really happy to see her be able to handle the situation of the final so well because I think she deserved it. Then to come and make the final in Tokyo, it was really impressive, but also not surprising.

Q. How well do you know Naomi? She tells us she's quite shy. Do you know her off the court?
MADISON KEYS: I don't know her very well. I feel like I'm probably more outspoken and louder than she is (smiling). I'm sure she probably hears me, she's like, Oh, God, I don't want to talk to her.

I know her, you know, from afar. She seems very genuine and sweet and shy and all that. I think that, you know, she's definitely made a name for herself. I think her whole personality is really interesting and nice. It's kind of a breath of fresh air.

Q. You've worked with your fair share of coaches. For you, what is the most difficult part about finding someone that you can trust, have enough time to work with them long-term? I know Lindsay has always been around, but just a traveling coach you can trust, what's the trickiest part of finding that?
MADISON KEYS: I think the hardest part is finding someone who understands me. As far as tennis, I mean, I think a lot of coaches, they know tennis. I think when it comes to me, it's helping me make decisions and not just telling me this.

I ask a lot of questions if I don't understand something. Being able to back up what you're saying... Being the daughter of a lawyer, if I don't understand something and I ask a question, there's no answer of, This is why I'm saying that, sometimes I'm like, Hmm, I don't know if I like that.

So, finding someone who can have a discussion with me about very specific things and not because 'I said so' I think has been the most difficult thing simply because I am the way that I am.

Q. Off the court, how does that work for you? Are you the same off the court?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah. I'm like, That doesn't make sense. I need you to explain it to me. If it still doesn't make sense, I'm going to disagree. I feel badly for my boyfriend in that sense (laughter).

Q. You had a few weeks off, then all of a sudden one match in you're playing Kerber. How tricky is that? What are you looking forward to in that matchup? You know her very well.
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I feel like she's the person that I'm going to play another 195 times before we both retire. I was unsurprised, I guess. But, I mean, it's a tough match. It's always a tough match.

I feel like being able to have a win this summer against her is something that I can look at, look to see what I did really well. So that's nice to fall back on instead of having to look at something like four years ago (smiling).

Q. Looking ahead, Fed Cup final also is looming.
MADISON KEYS: Oh, God, that's weeks away, Courtney. C'mon (laughter).

Q. Does that loom as you can't take your foot off the gas pedal next few weeks, or are you totally like it's so far away?
MADISON KEYS: I mean, it's definitely something that I've had to figure out schedule-wise. It gets a little confusing. I mean, this time of the year, it's always tough anyways because you're like, Well, mathematically I could be in Singapore, but I could also be in Zhuhai.

It's something that is in my schedule. It's just I got to take it one day at a time.

Q. You mentioned being the child of a lawyer. Being a kid of a lawyer, how is that unique?
MADISON KEYS: I think my mom was great because she didn't just say, Because I said so. She gave you all of the reasons as to why you were doing what you were doing. But I also think that it makes you great at arguing.

I think just my mom's mentality of how she dealt with us was very, Okay, you did this, so this is going to happen, this is the consequence. It was always super non-emotional, like, This is how it is. If you break the law, this is what happens. In that sense, it was very interesting.

But I will say as far as questioning things and arguing things and finding loopholes in things, it was always really helpful in other situations away from my mom. I mean, my mom obviously kind of would set it up to see where you would go with it. She'd be like, I knew you were going to go there, so here you go. You're like, Okay, all right, I'm going to be grounded now.

Q. You're grounding yourself?
MADISON KEYS: Exactly. It was like, I deserve this, you're right. I'm going to go. Okay, thank you.

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