MUTUA MADRID OPEN

April 30, 2024

Madison Keys

Press Conference

M. KEYS/O. Jabeur

0-6, 7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Through to the semifinals. Talk us through the match a little bit. Obviously it didn't start as well, but everything switched after the second.

MADISON KEYS: Yeah, obviously not normal to go down 8-0 and then start playing tennis, but I was able to really reset and relax after getting that first game and really just allowed myself to start playing tennis.

Then I feel like as the match went on, I just started playing better and better and believing in myself even more and just really going after my shots and somehow managing to win that one.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What was going through your mind those first eight games? Did they go so fast? Did you feel they were going fast or what were you telling yourself?

MADISON KEYS: They were going incredibly fast but also incredibly slow. At one point it was, like, wow, this is embarrassing. We've got to figure something out.

But I think eventually I was just, like, I'm just going to start going for things. I'm going to start just trying to focus on myself and my game, just try to get into every single game and just try to make things competitive.

Once I did that, it felt like the momentum switched really quickly. Being able to get even just to 2-All in the second set, all of a sudden I felt like, okay, I'm actually really in this and I can win this match.

Q. I haven't seen you this year, so I kind of want to catch up a little bit. You started your season late because you had a shoulder problem? Can you just walk us through the time you were away? And kind of where are things clicking right now, do you feel?

MADISON KEYS: So I actually was prepping to go to Australia, and I think it was maybe, like, two weeks before I was going to Australia I ended up tearing my lat and kind of just basically had to shut down for a few weeks. Have really just tried to slowly rebuild.

To be totally honest, I have been kind of dealing with a shoulder issue for the last, like, two-and-a-half years. It's just been kind of a thing that every couple of weeks is there.

It was actually great that I was able to finally take the time and rehab it properly and actually have some time off to do everything that I wanted to do and build back that strength and really just kind of have the mentality that I'm going to take as much time as I need to get through the rest of the season.

So being able to do that was great, and then started at Indian Wells. I feel like it's always so hard to start. I feel like you always feel like you're a little bit behind and you're trying to catch up. There was definitely some of that pressure along with, you know, you play really great people basically from the first round.

So it was definitely not the easiest start, but being able to get some wins in a row here has been awesome, and I feel like I'm starting to finally get my feet wet and get some momentum.

Q. I won't go through the whole clay spiel we have done for the last ten years, but you are the third American to make the semifinals of both Madrid and Rome. The first two were Serena and Venus. Quite a rare accomplishment, Clay Court Maddie. This tournament seeks likes in a lot of ways it's set up perfectly for you because of the altitude, because it does reward aggressive styles of play. Has that kind of been your relationship with this tournament intellectually? No? What has been your relationship with this tournament in the past?

MADISON KEYS: My literally entire career, everyone has been, You'll love Madrid. It's amazing. You're going to do so well there. And I have lost, like, first or second round except for once every single year.

I was, like, I don't think that's true. So I think I'm going to go to Rome where it's really heavy and rainy. I think I like it better there, even though I say I don't like clay (smiling).

But yeah, I guess this year it's finally clicking and maybe it is suited for my game, or at least this Madison's game (smiling).

Q. When you say "this Madison's game," how does this Madison differ from previous Madisons?

MADISON KEYS: She's older and wiser (smiling).

Q. What are you feeling you bring into the court in that kind of maybe different head space, being older, being wiser, coming back from injury? Does it feel less pressure playing through? Does it feel the same?

MADISON KEYS: I feel like, I mean, I would say the pressure is probably the same, but I think I'm finally just, like, I'm not forcing it. I think having been told all of this time, Oh, you're going to love Madrid, you'll do really well there, kind of came in with not even extra pressure but I was trying to force something to happen, and I think, as everyone knows, when you're trying to force something to happen it seems like it gets further and further away from you.

So finally really just honestly saying, F-it, and I'm just going go out and do my best, and we'll see what happens. Then I really feel like I've finally been able to kind of work myself into playing some good tennis here.

Q. You say you don't like clay, but actually your results on the surface are good. I don't know if you are aware of that or you remember that, but, like, you made semis in RG, final in Rome, all that. Is it more that you're just a big-match player, big-tournament player, so if you're going to go to a big tournament you'll do good anyway? Or is it you are actually good on clay? How do you explain it?

MADISON KEYS: I think, you know, the way that I kind of want points to go, you know, big hitting, flat, fast, all of that, I just kind of, it's like, yeah, grass feels easy, always kind of just felt natural. Fast hard courts, obviously growing up on those are the most comfortable for me.

But I think for so long on clay it was I was constantly trying to change my game to fit clay versus just playing tennis on clay, you know, making some minor tweaks here or there.

I think I'm a fairly good natural mover on clay, so I think I finally just stopped fighting it and really leaning into it and begrudgingly loving it.

Q. I wanted to ask you about Iga. Obviously the ultimate challenge on clay is her. How do you see that? Is it something you're excited to try and see how far you've come on this surface?

MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I think it's great. I mean, the last time we played was in Rome, which is obviously heavier and slower, and I think being in Madrid can obviously lean a little bit towards more my advantage.

But, I mean, it's Iga on clay, so that's the reality of it. But I'm really looking forward to it, and I think it's going to be a really great challenge.

Q. Yesterday Pedro Cachin took Rafa's shirt as a souvenir from his match. Have you ever wanted to take a souvenir from any match you played, or just looking back, Oh, I wish I had something from that?

MADISON KEYS: I don't know if I have ever wanted to take, like, a souvenir, but there have been moments where, like, in the moment I was, like, Wow, I wish I could bottle this moment so I could revisit it.

I think that one moment for me that really stands out is when I played Serena on Labor Day Weekend on Ashe, and it was packed, and it was the year she was going for all four. So everyone was there.

It was honestly the coolest experience to be able to walk out. Obviously I lost, which kind of sucked, but I mean, just that moment is something that I think will always forever be one of my favorite tennis memories.

Q. Do you remember what she was wearing?

MADISON KEYS: I think that was the year she was in pink? I was in black and pink, and I think she had an all-pink outfit.

Q. In terms of facing Iga, obviously you have beaten her in Cincinnati, and you have the game style that people kind of point to as being the type of game style that can tactically bother her. What is your mentality going into that match? Is it just going to be swinging big? Are there tactical things you take from the Cincinnati match that you think will be able to be applied here in Madrid as well?

MADISON KEYS: I definitely think you take things that worked in a win to try to apply them here, but I mean, I think in the same token she's probably looking at that match and figuring out how to mess me up so that I can't do that.

But, I mean, I think of all places to play her on clay, I think this is obviously the best scenario, just because of the altitude and you can rip a little bit more.

But I mean, I think at the end of the day I just have to try to focus on my side of the net, and that's really all that I can take care of. I think if I allow myself to play good tennis, I think really anything can happen.