THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2021

Madison Keys

Press Conference

M. KEYS/E. Mertens

7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Elise is such a tough opponent. It was pretty close through both sets. What do you think made the difference for you out there?

MADISON KEYS: I knew it was going to be a really tough match. I think the first set I did a really great job at just kind of holding my serve and playing really good tennis when I was serving, and then just waiting for an opportunity to break whenever I got it. Luckily I was able to do it, you know, pretty seamlessly.

Then in the second set, it was a little bit different, kind of breaking back and forth a little bit more. But I just really knew what to expect. I knew points were going to be more difficult. I knew she was going to have a lot of great gets. I knew if I could just try to play my game and focus on that and not really get ahead of myself, then good things could happen.

Q. You're the last American woman standing right now at Wimbledon. I think it's probably happened to you before at a slam. I think it's the first time it's happened to you at Wimbledon. Were you keeping up with some of your fellow Americans' results? What did you make of the dynamic heading into the second week?

MADISON KEYS: I actually didn't get to watch -- I didn't get to see many of the scores today. Obviously I watched some of Sloane's match because she was on my court, but I think I have been in this position before, but like you said, I don't think I have been in this position here.

I think everyone has played some really good tennis, and, like, I know Sloane's match today was incredibly tough. There were also some really great wins earlier in the tournament by the American women.

Hopefully I can keep it going for U.S. women.

Q. I just want to get your general thoughts on how your game suits the grass. It feels like it's kind of the ideal surface for you in terms of your game style, and yet you have had deeper runs at the US Open, at the French. Do you think you'll wind up well on the grass court surface?

MADISON KEYS: I think my game is well suited for grass. Obviously in the past, not having the best of results here has been disappointing, but I think grass is one of those surfaces where, when you feel great on it, it's amazing. If you're not 100% comfortable on it, things can go very quickly the wrong way.

But I'm very happy that I was able to get a couple of matches before coming and playing at Wimbledon, so I felt a little bit more comfortable on the grass this year. I think that's shown in my tennis.

Q. Your next opponent, Viktorija Golubic, have you seen much of her lately? Seems like she's having a bit of a breakout year. What do you make of her game and that matchup?

MADISON KEYS: We have played before but obviously not on grass. She's had I think a couple of really great weeks specifically on the grass.

So I think she's going to be a really difficult opponent. I think her game is actually very well suited for grass. I think at this point everyone is feeling pretty confident in their game and playing at a high level in order to get to this point.

I'm going to have to just continue to try to focus on my side of the net and do what I can at the highest level.

Q. I have just been struck by how relatively normal things seem here in terms of fans being around, lower parts of the stadium being totally full, not many masks in sight. What's it been like for you, coming here, and how normal it feels maybe at least on court? And if that's surprising after everything that's happened the last 18 months?

MADISON KEYS: I think as far as being on the court, it's felt great that it's feeling normal. I think I have had really great atmosphere for all of my matches. Even being on 14 the other day there was a great crowd for that, and everyone was very excited.

It's great to have that back in tennis. I can't totally say it feels normal because I'm still in a bubble at the hotel so it's not quite normal, but as far as on-site it's really great to see.

Q. The Olympic team, I know a bunch of Americans pulled out. Are you still planning on playing if you got in or did you pull out or how did that work out with the Olympics?

MADISON KEYS: I was asked to play. It was obviously not an easy decision to not go and represent my country. But there were just a lot of factors, and I just kind of had to make the best decision for me and my health. Unfortunately, I'm not going to go this year.

Q. What were some of those factors?

MADISON KEYS: There's a lot. Some of them are personal and private that I'd rather not speak about.

Q. Feels like there are always a bit of upsets at Grand Slams, but the last two slams in particular feels like there have been more and more opportunities for players seeded around your range of the rankings. Does it feel like there are more opportunities for you? What do you make of how things have shook out so far at this tournament?

MADISON KEYS: I think the past couple of slams we have seen that there have been a lot of upsets, like you said, and a lot of opportunities for really anyone to do well at any tournament.

It's been great to watch. As far as how I'm taking it personally, I'm definitely not trying to get ahead of myself and just really focusing on the next match. I know that's a really boring tennis player answer, but unfortunately it's the truth. Really just trying to, you know, take it one day at a time.

Q. Do you attribute some of that, I don't want to say chaos, but inconsistency maybe of some of the top players with the break of last year kind of shaking everything up and resetting the deck, as it were?

MADISON KEYS: I think that probably had something to do with it. I don't think many of us have had that long of not competing in tournaments week in and week out, and I think everyone is still kind of trying to find their rhythm and getting back into this normal swing of tennis.

I think we're getting there, but at the same time there has been such an opportunity really for anyone to do well any week, so I think we're seeing a lot of names pop up that we weren't seeing a year and a half, two years ago.