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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 17, 2019

Madison Keys

Cincinnati, Ohio

M. KEYS/S. Kenin

7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You were hitting that ball pretty cleanly and big in the first set. Second set was a lot tighter. Can you just talk through the match a little bit? Were you making adjustments? Her level started to level up, as well.
MADISON KEYS: I think in the second set she started returning really well and taking things really early. Seemed like she was really seeing it. I kind of just had to really focus in on my return games and put the same amount of pressure on her.

And then I think at the end I really kind of found my groove and figured out how I wanted to play the points.

Q. It seemed like you were a lot more methodical, like you weren't going massive by the end of it. Was that kind of what clicked in your head of just being a little bit more patient in the rallies building?
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I think she was doing a really good job at absorbing and redirecting. At some point it was, Okay, if I take some off, it will come back a little bit slower.

So I think I did a pretty good job at taking a little bit off and opening up the court a little bit more, and that seemed to get me the win.

Q. You seemed shook at an overrule from...
MADISON KEYS: That was insane. That was nuts. I mean, I saw it up on the board. I was, like, Okay, it's out. Then they zoomed in, and I was, like, There is no way she saw that. That was so good.

Q. How often are you impressed by the officiating like that?
MADISON KEYS: Pretty often. It's not easy. Balls are going super fast. I mean, the margins are so small, so I'm usually pretty impressed, like, when they get 85% of the calls right.

Q. Speaking of being shook, I think a lot of people were by the dropshot in the final game and then the passing shot slice. How did that feel?
MADISON KEYS: It felt good. I was a little bit surprised when I made it, but it felt good and I'm glad that it went in.

Q. You get Sveta next. You have been good against her in past matches. Have you seen much of her playing this tournament? She hasn't been playing much this year. She's been playing well. What do you expect tomorrow?
MADISON KEYS: She's obviously been playing well. I haven't gotten to see a ton of what she is doing this tournament, but in order for her to be in this position, she's obviously playing some really good tennis.

I think she's an interesting person to play because she's not the norm on the tour. You know, she plays with a little bit more spin. She likes to slice. She has a lot of variety. I'm definitely going to have to watch for that tomorrow.

Q. About midway through the second set you played an immaculate service game. Then your following service game you were broken. What happens in your mind? How do you kind of snap back and say, Okay, I need to get back on track after that?
MADISON KEYS: I mean, it happens. I wish I could go and serve four aces every game, but it doesn't always happen that way.

That's just kind of how tennis is. Just move on, regroup, and get on to the return game.

Q. Two years ago you lost to GarbiÃ±e here and she went on to win the title. This year you beat her in the first round. Are you superstitious at all? Something like that happens and you kind of say, Hey, well, maybe something special is happening for me this week?
MADISON KEYS: No. I'm not (smiling).

Q. Svetlana said she had both, like, a Spanish mentality and a Russian mentality. The Spanish mentality is trying to be very consistent, and the Russian mentality is, like, taking risks. So how do you say American tennis player mentality is?
MADISON KEYS: Oh, God, I don't know. Depends on the day, I guess (smiling).

I think at least for me it's always a balance of knowing when to go for things and when to back off a little bit. It's cautiously aggressive, is probably the only words I can think for it.

Q. You mentioned having seen Sofia when she was very young. I'm curious, you're still around places, academies, where there are lots of young kids training. Curious what you look for in a kid. Oh, this one looks amazing. Or I don't know about this one. What are the pros and cons you look for when you see eight- and nine-year-olds?
MADISON KEYS: For one, it's their attitudes and their mentality. Sonya, since she was little, has had the same fighting tenacity, like, she's always had those characteristics. That's not a surprise that she was able to do great things.

But I think the other thing is I really like seeing kids who are trying to build points and not just making balls and being a backboard and all of that. Knowing when to do that but knowing also how to build points, how to get better and understand that just winning in juniors isn't the end-all, be-all.

Q. Do you have a stock answer for a 10-year-old girl that says, Hey, I want to be a top WTA player, what should I do?
MADISON KEYS: I have no idea. I don't know. I just was on the tennis court all the time. Try that. See if it works.

Q. In terms of going into the final and the state of your game, backing up big wins and all that, physically how are you feeling? I presume you have been pleased with how you have come up because these matches have not been easy.
MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I feel really good. Every day I'm kind of waking up, hoping that everything still feels like it's in one piece and it feels really good. Yeah, body feels really great.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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