It’s been four months since Madison Keys celebrated her first Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open, yet the sensation of that achievement still feels surreal for the world No. 5. She triumphed over top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, marking a major milestone at 29 years of age.
Since claiming the title, Keys hasn’t reached another final, with a semi-final exit to Sabalenka at Indian Wells being her best result. However, as she approaches the upcoming Roland-Garros tournament, which kicks off this Sunday, she appears to be regaining her form after participating in three clay-court competitions.
When questioned about whether she would emulate the strategies that led to her Australian success, Keys conceded that the details of that experience have faded somewhat. "I don’t know if it has [sunk in]," she remarked, sharing her mixed feelings of occasionally recalling the victory sharply and at other times feeling as if she had almost forgotten it due to the relentless nature of professional tennis. "I’m trying to rewatch some of my past matches to truly appreciate what I accomplished," she added, emphasizing the importance of reflecting on the memorable journey.
With 12 Roland-Garros participations under her belt, Keys reached her career’s best performance at the event in 2018, where she reached the semi-finals, losing to Sloane Stephens. Now, with a major title in her collection, she is eager to experience the fans’ reactions as she seeks further success. "The atmosphere and the fans here are incredibly special; they’re unlike any other," she noted, expressing enthusiasm about her time on the Paris clay.
As she gears up to potentially challenge Iga Swiatek for the title, Keys is prepared for tough competition ahead, including a possible quarter-final clash with world No. 2, Coco Gauff. She dreams of adding the French Open trophy to her collection but also made a light-hearted confession regarding her Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, currently being housed in her renovation project at home. "I told them I need a shelf tall and wide enough for Daphne," she quipped.
For those wanting to catch all the excitement at Roland-Garros, Stan Sport’s Grand Slam Daily will be streaming live, featuring in-depth coverage from 11am AEST each day of the tournament, hosted by Chris Stubbs alongside tennis luminary Wally Masur.