ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2026

Madison Keys

Press Conference

MADISON KEYS/A. Ruzic

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on the win today. Tough conditions out there. How did you feel today?

MADISON KEYS: I actually really love it. I love the heat. It's a beautiful change from the lead-in where it was cold and rainy. I have been loving it. Obviously great to get another straight-sets match win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Well done. Obviously the talk of the first week has been the extreme heat. I guess "enjoy" may not be the right term, but do you think that your game plays very well in the heat and why?

MADISON KEYS: I love it. I love it so much. I can't remember a Roland Garros where it was this hot for this many days, but there has definitely been weekends here or there, and I have just always really liked playing here when it's nice and hot. It plays super bouncy and fast.

I think the ball kind of moves through the court really quick. I have always really enjoyed it. I grew in Florida, so the heat doesn't really bother me, especially here the last couple of days.

It's been very nice just because it hasn't also been humid, and I think on clay, it always feels a little bit better, just because you don't have the radiant heat from the court, as well.

So I will take a hot Paris red clay day over a cold, rainy one every day.

Q. If you were to advance into the second week, it sort of flips, gets a little bit chillier. Does that change in terms of your shot selection or anything like that, just the way you're playing on court?

MADISON KEYS: I think you have to be aware of it. You have to know that things are going to be different. I think the clay changes pretty drastically, depending on the conditions.

So when it's hot, it's going to be a lot quicker and bouncier, and points are probably going to be a little bit faster. It gets heavier and colder, you know you're probably going to have make better shot selection, points are going to last a little bit longer. You're maybe just not going to get as many freebies.

Q. I asked you in Charleston about ELC, and you joked that we're kind of fighting. Here I guess more traditional is the right term, line umpires. Do you find that to be more refreshing, or do you enjoy having the opportunity to kind of like prove your point or prove your case with the ball mark, I guess?

MADISON KEYS: I think that ELC, I think a lot of us have agreed that it's not 100% right, and I think it's hard when you're watching the mark happen on the screen, and you can actually look at it. Obviously on hard court it's not happening as much, but on the clay it makes you a little bit crazy sometimes.

I also kind of enjoy when people start fighting with the chair. It's always, like, a little bit of drama, and I really like it. So I have kind of missed that element of the sport a little bit. I think it just adds a little extra flare.

I think it's kind of refreshing to have linespeople again.

Q. On that drama, do you like to be in the drama or just watch the drama of other players?

MADISON KEYS: I kind of like the drama sometimes. It's good to just, like, get it out all of a sudden. Doesn't happen very often, but sometimes it feels good to just get in a quick fight midmatch. You kind of release some adrenaline, and you feel good and you move forward.

Q. This one is a podcast-related question. You had your live show here in Paris? I know Jenny was virtual. Just your experience of doing that with a studio audience.

MADISON KEYS: It was really fun. It's a lot different. I think we have really found our groove as far as being all virtually, and I think we've gotten quite good at that, so it was definitely a new experience to be all in person.

It was really fun. It's definitely a lot different doing it in front of actual people, but looking forward to hopefully doing more in the future.

Q. Not necessarily a happy question, but I'm sure you saw yesterday with Hailey, her jumping forehand, hurt her left knee. What was your reaction to that, and have you been able to reach out to her since?

MADISON KEYS: I'm so sad for Hailey. I just kind of knew as soon as she landed and you could hear she kind of started screaming, it was just not a good thing. It's never what you want to see.

She's been playing so well, and she's been, you know, doing all of the right things. It sucks when that happens, and it's just such bad luck.

I have been thinking about her a lot. I haven't texted her. I feel like if I was in her position, the last thing I would want is a lot of people trying to message her. Trying to give her some space.

No, I think she knows that all of us are really thinking about her and hoping that she gets back as quick as possible.