ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2025

Madison Keys

Press Conference

M. KEYS/K. Boulter

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Can you take us through the match.

MADISON KEYS: I served well. The biggest thing I'm happy with is that even though I didn't necessarily capitalize on all of my breakpoints right away, being able to stay tough and stay in those games, still convert a lot of those breakpoints I think was really important today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Practice often looks seamless. At the changeover, when the hour ends, player comes off and player comes on. Have you ever experienced players who won't come off the court when their time is up? Has that ever happened?

MADISON KEYS: No, not really. I can't think of a time where we have ever had to be forceful and get on the court and force someone off.

Q. It wouldn't happen even ITF or juniors, people are just okay normally?

MADISON KEYS: I can't remember ever having an issue. I think for the most part everyone is pretty respectful of people's practice time. It's obviously hard enough at a tournament to get your time. I think everyone is pretty good about respecting when your time is up and allowing the next person.

Q. After you have won a Grand Slam after so many years, what changed in your mind after having this experience where you did unbelievable performance? What changed in your mind on a Grand Slam like this, having won that you have won?

MADISON KEYS: I think there is just a little bit of a weight that's lifted just because it was obviously a goal for a really long time to win a slam. Now that I was able to do that, I think it kind of shifts to I'd really like to do that again.

But I think at the end of the day, it's pretty much the same. Everyone who comes into this tournament wants to be the last one standing.

Q. How different were the conditions today with the sun finally coming out compared to your first-round match?

MADISON KEYS: It felt a lot warmer. That's for sure.

I think obviously it was just a warmer day in general. And then even being third versus fourth, I went on, I think, two-and-a-half hours, three hours earlier. So it just felt like, you know, the ball was moving a little bit more, and it was maybe bouncing a little bit more.

I feel like here, especially at night, it plays just a little bit slower and a little bit deader.

Q. How does that affect your preparations and mindset mid match when it is a bit livelier, a bit faster?

MADISON KEYS: I think you just know going into it. Like, I have been checking the weather to see what the next day looks like. Typically, like today, I went up in my tension just because I knew that the ball was probably going to fly a little bit more.

I think you kind of know that the ball might move a little bit more, you might have some balls that bounce higher, and on days where it's going to be later or colder, you know you may have to reset the point a few more times.

Q. Some players will talk about putting in match time requests or even day requests at a place like here where you have a three-day first round. How often do you do that? How often do they listen to you, and has that changed over time for you?

MADISON KEYS: Well, I have had how many 1:00 a.m., 2:00 a.m. finishes? I can tell you that I did not request that. Sometimes the request goes, they write it down, and they say, Okay.

I think I would argue that most people would like to play at some time in the day obviously, being first or second on, especially at a slam when you're following men's matches that could be five sets. I think in a perfect world, first on, I would pick it every single time.

Considering the fact that I don't usually play first on kind of shows how you can request things but things don't always really happen.

I really think that it's just kind of up to what the tournament wants, what TV wants, things like that. Sometimes you kind of get what you ask for, and other times you get the complete opposite.

Q. Do you think it should be the case that a player who is, let's say, top 10, Grand Slam champion, gets listened to more?

MADISON KEYS: I don't really know how I feel about it, to be totally honest. I think in some ways, is it totally fair? Probably not. But at the same time, you can argue that they probably sell more tickets at the end of the day. Like the bigger players, like obviously if Rafa comes in and wants something, give Rafa what he wants.

I think there definitely should be a balance to it. But to be honest, I don't really know where I fully stand on that question.

Q. You have one of the best second serves in the game, at least in my opinion. I think that was pretty evident today, compared to Katie who was struggling with her second serve and hit double faults on key points. Curious what origins of your kick second serve was. When you were younger and developing it, what helped you to develop it? I remember even when you won your first match, I remember people just talking about how amazing it was then. Just the origins of that.

MADISON KEYS: I started training at Evert Tennis Academy when I was 10. I had a coach named Mandy Wilson. And I give, I would say to this day, I give her all the credit in the world for my kick serve.

She completely helped me from the start. I remember standing on the outside of a fence and having to try to kick it up and over the fence and just work on that so, so much.

It was just such a thing that we focused on for so long. It was that, and honestly, it was my forehand grip. I used to be very under (demonstrating).

So it took a few years of really practicing that, and not really doing well. I would go to tournaments and my serve would be flattened out again. We'd have to go back and really work on that.

Lots and lots of work at a very, very young age.

Q. (Off mic.)

MADISON KEYS: I don't know if I ever successfully did make it over the fence. A lot of them would hit the top and come right back at me. It was a good reaction drill, as well.

Q. You have answered the question about things that have changed or not since you won a Grand Slam. I know you have answered that question a lot over the last few months. I wonder, a very microscale, when you're in a match and it's tight, do the pressure moments feel any different to you?

MADISON KEYS: No.

Q. They don't?

MADISON KEYS: No. The pressure moments will always feel the same. The experience obviously I think helps just because the more that you're in that, and the more that you found a way through them, I think you can rely on that. But the pressure moments feel the same (smiling).