Madison Keys a major contender for the French Open
Madison Keys won her first clay court title last weekend, at the Volvo Car Open in Charleston, SC, surprising win over the fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets, 7-6(5), 6-3. The Charleston Open win is another breakthrough on the women’s circuit and a testament to the depth of field that encompasses the WTA.
The name for women’s tennis has so long included Serena Williams, who has conquered the game for decades. Similar to the Big Four on the men’s side—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray—Serena sustained the lion’s share of the big prizes, dominating in the Golden Age of Tennis.
But with the variety of new names winning—with only Roger Federer a repeat—this year, it’s clear that change is in the air on both the men’s and women’s circuits. Even though the big names are still collecting slams, that statistic will eventually change as well.
Keys, at age 26, and ranked No. 14, is one of those talents who has come so close to the top shelf of tennis—with a handful of WTA titles collected along the way—but yet to collect her first grand slam trophy. A finalist with her friend Sloane Stephens in the 2017 U.S. Open, she watched her compatriot handily win her maiden slam.
The American player hasn’t achieved a breakthrough quite like the hard-court finalist appearance in New York. However, she has become a dark horse prediction for the French Open.
Last year she reached as far as the semi-finals, being defeated by her U.S. Open finalist, Stephens, again, but it was the furthest she’s ever progressed at the tournament, in what has previously been as her least comfortable surface.
That may not be the case anymore. A renewed confidence clearly pushed her through her matches in Charleston, avenging her previous losses to Stephens in the quarterfinals there. She also impressively beat 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko the match before, in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2.
Keys has risen in the WTA clay court power rankings to No. 6, and her recent success will give her a confidence boost on the road to Roland Garros.
Part of her renewed conviction was the choice to bring her former coach, Juan Todero, back into the fold. Madison Keys clocked in first time wins over both Sloane Stephens and Caroline Wozniacki in Charleston.
It will be fascinating to see if the self-assurance will continue all the way to the French Open.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2XCyA5w
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