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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 16, 2019

Madison Keys

Cincinnati, Ohio

M. KEYS/V. Williams

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. After last night, three-set drama with Simona, winning in straight sets had to be a bit of a relief today?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, it's always nice to get it done in two sets, especially after a long one last night. Really happy I was able to close it out.

Q. Venus only hit three winners in the match. You were not giving her much to look at all. What was the key that was working for you today?
MADISON KEYS: Playing Venus, I kind of knew that I had to try to keep the ball as deep as possible, not let her be able to set and hit, because that's obviously when she's playing her best tennis.

It was really just trying to attack through the middle. Whenever I got the chance to open the court or go for it, doing that.

Q. When she was aggressive, you defended really well and didn't let much get past you. How happy are you with your game?
MADISON KEYS: It's something I have been working on a lot, so it was nice to see against a really aggressive player like Venus being able to defend as well as I did.

Yeah, overall I think I'm pretty happy with almost everything I did tonight (smiling).

Q. At Wimbledon you weren't 100% complimentary about your defense. Do you feel it's better?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I mean, if you want to compare Wimbledon to now, I think a lot is better (smiling).

Q. It's been a very up-and-down year. What do you think you have managed to kind of put together this week that you haven't been able to do in the rest of the season?
MADISON KEYS: I feel like there's been moments in my season where things have clicked and then moments where I have been close but things just haven't quite meshed very well together.

I think staying calm and staying confident and knowing I have been putting in the work on the practice court and in the gym and all of that and just allowing myself to get out there and try to get things to click has been the biggest thing for me.

Q. When did you first become aware of Sofia Kenin?
MADISON KEYS: I remember Sofia when she was, like, nine. She was training in Boca already. I have known her since she was really young.

Q. What was she like back then?
MADISON KEYS: The same (smiling).

Q. What does that mean?
MADISON KEYS: You know what that means (smiling).

Q. You were saying you put in the work off the court. What sort of struggles did you have? Did you increase doing some things different, cut things out, have a change in the regimen?
MADISON KEYS: It's always a little tough for me. Obviously I have dealt with injuries and things like that. It's not always the easiest to get all of the time I want on the court and doing all of that.

I think I have done a really good job when I'm on the court, really high intensity, good work, and getting as much as I can done, you know, while limiting the pounding.

Q. In terms of how you're hitting the ball here this week, just generally it's clean, seems like it's for the most part coming from the middle of the racquet, and you look comfortable on both sides. Do you think a lot of that is movement? Your footwork is right and you're behind the ball? Is it conditions? You're just seeing it, it seems like, like a watermelon out there.
MADISON KEYS: I think seeing the ball early enough that I'm getting there and I'm setting, and once I am there and I'm hitting, I think I'm doing a good job at finishing my shots and not worrying about trying to get to the next one. It seems like when I'm doing that, things come off my racquet pretty well.

Q. What do you think will be the keys against Sofia tomorrow?
MADISON KEYS: I think I have to do a good job at moving the ball around and honestly just kind of expecting anything. She's really good at mixing things up and trying to take you out of your game. Just being super aware of that, and, you know, just staying really focused the entire match.

Q. So many American women are doing well, are close together in the rankings. It's already a tight-looking race for the Tokyo Olympics.
MADISON KEYS: Okay, that's not fair. We can worry about that -- let's wait until next year to start stressing about that (smiling).

Q. What are you most satisfied with about making the semifinals?
MADISON KEYS: I think the biggest thing, after having a couple of tough losses the last tournaments I have played, being able to bounce back, and especially after my first round here, being able to get that win and then just building on that.

Q. You mentioned kind of those on-the-brink-type matches you have had, tight matches at tournaments where you have had opportunities. After those matches, was it easy or difficult for you to say, Okay, it is right there? Or was it just -- I don't know how your mind works, but was the mind going the other way and kind of letting it bog you down?
MADISON KEYS: I think initially it's you're pretty bummed out. At least I am. I don't know about other players.

I mean, if you have match points and then you lose, that's pretty tough. Doesn't really matter that you almost won.

Q. Fair.
MADISON KEYS: But then long term, at least I didn't get killed. Like, I had opportunities, I could have won the match, all of that. Those are the positives. Sometimes it just takes a day or two to get to those.

Q. Anything that you were surprised at in this match that you were able to excel at against Venus in your game?
MADISON KEYS: I'm really happy with how well I served. She's a very, very good returner, and being able to, for the most part, have fairly straightforward service games was my favorite part.

Q. When you're digesting a loss, what does that day or two look like? Do you just not talk to anyone?
MADISON KEYS: It depends on the loss. Sometimes I kind of just go and don't really want to talk to people. Other times I kind of immediately want to break down the match and figure out what went wrong and why this happened and all of that. Other times I just want to go lie down and watch Netflix.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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