ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2023

Madison Keys

Press Conference

M. KEYS/K. Kanepi

6-1, 3-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: First question from me. Congratulations on the win today. How were you able to reset and refocus after coming up strong in the first set and then dropping set number two?

MADISON KEYS: I think really just trying to focus on what I did well in the first set and honestly just trying to replicate that.

I think I was kind of giving her a lot of kind of short balls to dictate and things like that, which she kind of just got ahead very early in the second set, and it was hard to catch back up.

So really focusing on those first few games of the third set, really trying to make sure that I was getting my depth and trying to control the point early on.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What's it like when you see Kanepi's name alongside you in the draw because she's had so many big wins.

MADISON KEYS: It's tough. It's tough (laughing).

Yeah, she's been on the tour for a really long time, and she's always had some amazing wins. You never really know when she can turn things around or go on a tear and be in the semifinals or something.

So you really know that you have to be very on it. Even like today where she had not a great first set, she can come through in the second set and change things around.

So you just have to always be ready to play literally every single point until you finally have won the match.

Q. Is it true that Frances calls you "grandma" or something?

MADISON KEYS: Yeah. Usually it's "mom."

Q. That's better.

MADISON KEYS: Not quite grandma yet.

Q. How does that make you feel? How experienced do you feel these days coming to a slam?

MADISON KEYS: I always remind him that I'm not that much older than him, but he'll always say things like, Oh, I remember watching you on TV when I was a kid. I'm, like, I'm not that much older than you.

I think at this point he just likes to do it to make me feel old. I always tell him he will find out one day (laughing).

Q. And soon probably.

MADISON KEYS: Yes.

Q. Also, I'm doing a piece about when people cheer and say "Come on." On the ATP there's been a bit of, like Djokovic did that, Norrie was doing it too much in his match and in his face. I'm wondering how you feel about that when a player is shouting "Come on," does that ever irritate you when they're doing it after your errors or something? It seems like a tennis thing that I'm curious about.

MADISON KEYS: I can't really think of many instances where someone else saying "Come on" has annoyed me. I think if I miss a sitting forehand on top of the net and they go a big Come on, that's -- but honestly, it's more of an eye roll than a genuine I'm mad about it.

I think it's more of an ATP issue.

Q. Kanepi turns 38 next month. How inspiring to see those kind of players, and do you think you will play tennis --

MADISON KEYS: No (laughing). I think the level that she still plays is incredible and the career that she's had is honestly inspiring. I will not be doing that personally.

But, I mean, even today, like I said, at any moment the match could have turned and she can make things really complicated. She still is a phenomenal tennis player, so to see that she's still playing so well is amazing to see.

Q. My second question: Today's match and all the courts are packed. Do you feel it's like a different energy this year, like maybe post-COVID times, everyone is so enthusiastic about tennis?

MADISON KEYS: I think this is probably the most energy I've seen so early in Roland Garros in a really long time, and it's so amazing to see.

I mean, walking out today and our court was already packed was incredible. I think for a lot of us we missed fans so much. We missed fans so much during COVID. To be able to kind of have that pre-COVID feeling again, especially today, was great.

Q. In this sense, how do you feel about Olympics next year? You want to be on the team for sure?

MADISON KEYS: Yeah, 100 percent. I have been able to play in the Olympics one time before. Unfortunately, just missed medaling. That was truly some of my favorite experience on a tennis court. So I'd absolutely love to be able to be on the team again.

Q. It's incredibly difficult to make it as a tennis player. You think of the depth that there is in the whole game and just what the sacrifices it takes to get there. Are there any players that you grew up with that you expected to make it who didn't?

MADISON KEYS: To be honest, I think my kind of years in juniors, a lot of us made it, which I actually think is kind of crazy. Like, I played with Putintseva and Gavrilova and Mladenovic, García, Tomljanovic.

I mean, there's a lot of us that made it. Quite honestly, I'm always surprised at how many of us made it, especially at a very, very high level.

But I think it's just getting tougher and tougher. From the first tournament -- or from the first match of a tournament, the physicality is incredibly high. I think it's just getting harder and harder.

I think it's probably more difficult to make it now than when we were all coming up however many years ago.

Q. Did you think for elite juniors coming up now, maybe like 13, 14, there will be more people who you would have expected to make it that don't get through?

MADISON KEYS: I mean, I think so. I feel like it also goes in waves a lot. I think there's times when they can all push each other and then they all do exceptionally well.

Then there's a few that fall off here and there, and you kind of expected them to do better.

I think there's so much that goes into being a tennis player, and it's more than just, I mean, in between the lines, and it's more what's going on in their lives and the impact that they have with the people around them.

That has such an influence that I think a lot of times we don't always take that into account. We think they're amazing juniors and how didn't they make it. Then you find out all these years later all of these things that are going on, and it makes a lot more sense.

Q. Actually just following up the question I asked before. You mentioned someone who is notorious for cheering, Putintseva. Do you think it's effective? Some players might do it to try to get in the opponent's head, like cheering a lot, being vocal on the other side of the court. Do you think that's effective or not at all?

MADISON KEYS: I think maybe depending on who you're playing, it could be. I personally don't usually know what's going on, so I'd be pretty oblivious to it.

But it very well could be. I mean, if you know that it's irritating the person, then, I mean, all is fair, I guess (laughing).