ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2024

Madison Keys

Press Conference

M. KEYS/R. Zarazua

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Madison, congratulations. Coming off from a title on Sunday, did that help you on court? Did it have any affect how you played today?

MADISON KEYS: I definitely think when you come into a slam having won a title, it's obviously good momentum. You've won some good matches, and you're playing well.

I think sometimes there's a little more nerves just because there's a little bit more expectation, but I think today I did a pretty good job at managing expectation and nerves and having an overall just really solid first round.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just talked to Peyton Stearns, who did the same thing, and said it was weird trying to reset that fast. Jumped on a plane, boom, boom. How do you process that?

MADISON KEYS: I think this is, like, that might have been the third time that I've won a title and then gone straight into a slam, so I've gotten a little bit more used to it. I've probably played a few more weeks before slams than Peyton has, so I have a little bit more of -- I've just gotten a little bit more used to it, but it's definitely really hard.

I won my match, and then I was on a train coming here, and then it's just all of a sudden we got to Paris. I was kind of, like, I don't know what happened the last, like, five hours of my life (laughing).

Q. It seemed like in the first set you were really handling her on her serve, but then she broke you. You seemed a little irritated, and every one of your points when you broke her back to get the set was a clean winner. What was happening?

MADISON KEYS: I mean, when I got broken in the second, I think I was actually making the right decisions, and I was trying to go for the right shots. I was just missing them, which is sometimes better and sometimes more annoying.

But I think sitting down I was kind of just immediately thinking, Okay, I'm going to reset, and I'm going to try to get this break right back and get back on track, and being able to really just kind of go after my shots and try to get on my front foot very quickly. It kind of worked one point and then the second point, and then the momentum kind of just kept going.

Q. Can I ask how you found the conditions today? How challenging is it to play when it's kind of cold and wet and that kind of thing, or are you just used to it by now?

MADISON KEYS: I think coming into Roland Garros you kind of expect at least one day to be heavier and rainy. I think the harder thing is just it's like you sit for so many hours and then all of a sudden it's, like, go, go, go. So it was like as soon as Alex got on the court before me, they still hadn't uncovered the practice court. So I was kind of sitting there wondering, Am I going to get on to practice? Then we finally did, and we got to hit for 15 minutes. Then I ran back to the locker room to change.

I think it was more that. It's not a typical routine, and I think we all get so sucked into wanting our days to be planned. So a day like today is a little bit unnerving sometimes.

Q. Do you adjust how you play, or are you conscious, the ball, it's going to be heavier, it's going to be harder to hit through? I, therefore, need to hit harder? Or would you do the things you would do normally?

MADISON KEYS: I think I try to do the things I would do normally and just change the expectation of what I think the ball is going to do.

I think there's a reality of sometimes you have to add a little bit more height over the net just because the ball is not going to shoot through the court as much, but I think it's more just understanding, okay, today is heavier. A few balls might come back. You might not get as many easy balls off of your first serve.

So just kind of changing the expectation of what's going to happen, but not trying to really deviate from my game too much.

Q. Danielle was 54th in the world starting the year. You didn't play for a number of months. You guys are 37-7 since Miami. Does that surprise you a little bit?

MADISON KEYS: Yes and no. I mean, Danielle has always been amazing. I think she can play incredible tennis. I've thought that from the moment that she came onto the tour.

I think there's probably a reality of she's really enjoying herself out on the court right now. With more wins, the confidence builds even more and more, and I think that's when Danielle gets more and more dangerous. It's been really fun to watch her do that.

I think on my side, obviously starting at Indian Wells, it's kind of a hard time of the season to try to jump back into things and have some tough losses, tough matchups, things like that. So being able to just kind of get some momentum in Madrid was really helpful and beneficial and just being able to win a couple of matches.

It just seemed like from there everything just kind of became a little bit easier in a way, just getting another match and another match. That's just really all you want when you feel like you're trying to catch up with everyone else.

Q. What specifically makes Danielle so dangerous when she's playing like this?

MADISON KEYS: I mean, her backhand is incredible. I think she has one of the best backhands in the world. Then I think just her tenacity and her personality. I think if you're not ready for it, it can be incredibly intimidating.

I think when she is playing well and she also has the personality that Danielle has, I think she just continues to pump herself up more and more. It's, like, you can almost see her getting 10 feet tall out on the court.