US OPEN

August 30, 2021

Madison Keys

Press Conference

S. STEPHENS/M. Keys

6-3, 1-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Give us your thoughts and perspective on the match.

MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I mean, tough match today. I actually think it's the best I have played in a while, but I also think it's the best she's played in a while.

Just a really tough first round, and, I mean, I left it all out there. I did what I could, but it wasn't good enough. There is just a lot that I can actually take from the match and learn from, but also be really proud of for the rest of the season.

Q. Tell us what's happened since you guys played in that final here.

MADISON KEYS: It seems like it was a hundred years ago, not just four. Yeah, the world is obviously a completely different place now as far as regular life goes. But then also with tennis, a lot has changed.

I think Sloane and I have had some massive ups since then and we have also had some downs, but I think today's match showed we still both really have a high level of tennis left.

Q. Did you think back at that match at all?

MADISON KEYS: Not really. I mean, after I actually put about four balls in the court, I kind of forgot about the final.

Q. How do you feel in terms of balancing disappointment of losing and playing a really good match against a player who is playing really good?

MADISON KEYS: I mean, I'm obviously disappointed. I think tomorrow I will probably be a lot happier. I think I'll be able to be a lot more objective and look at the match and not have the emotions attached to it.

Yeah, I mean, it's kind of a double-edged sword. You would much rather play like that and feel better tomorrow but in the moment it sucks.

Q. What did you think when you saw the draw?

MADISON KEYS: I honestly kind of felt like it was coming, so I wasn't really surprised. We were supposed to practice with each other that day, so we obviously had to scramble to change that practice. But, yeah, for some weird reason I was kind of expecting it.

Q. You mentioned that it was the best that you had played and the best that she had played in a while. I was curious what specifically jumped out to you about the way you were playing and she was playing that was going so well.

MADISON KEYS: I mean, I think I was dictating points the best that I have for a while, and serving really well, looking for forehands. I mean, I thought she did a really, really good job today balancing defense and offense.

I mean, she's really tough to play because she gets a million balls back, but she also at any moment can step in and rip a ball. I think she did a really, really good job of balancing that today.

Q. After the first set, what were you kind of telling yourself on the set break? What adjustments did you make after that? Seemed like you had really kind of pulled things back a lot. Curious what adjustments you made.

MADISON KEYS: I think I was pressing a little bit in the first set, and was just going for a little bit too much too soon, but also from too far behind the baseline. I was really conscious of trying to get myself forward and take balls a little bit earlier, especially because she is so fast and she is so good at defense. I knew that if I kept standing where I was standing, I was just giving her a little bit more time.

The biggest thing I thought about was bigger targets but also just trying to get my positioning further up in the court.

Q. Curious about your schedule.

MADISON KEYS: Yeah, planning to play in Chicago and then Indian Wells and then kind of see what is left out there after that.