Madison Keys, the 30-year-old American tennis dynamo, has been riding a wave of triumph since her electrifying victory at the 2025 Australian Open. In January, she clinched her first Grand Slam title, toppling world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a gripping Melbourne final that ended 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. The win marked a pinnacle in a career that began when she turned pro at just 14, a journey filled with dazzling highs and crushing lows. After a well-earned break, Keys returned to the WTA Tour at Indian Wells in March, her first outing as a Grand Slam champion. Now, as she navigates the clay courts of the Charleston Open, she’s opening up about the unexpected twists that have come with her newfound status—and how they’ve reshaped her game and her mindset.
Keys’ Australian Open triumph was no fluke. She powered through a brutal draw, overcoming world number two Iga Świątek in a semifinal nail-biter before facing Sabalenka. Her victory snapped the Belarusian’s bid for a third consecutive Melbourne crown, a feat unseen in 26 years. “Looking at the draw I had, it was very tough,” Keys recalled, her voice tinged with pride. “Every round, there was just more and more confidence. I don’t know what flipped in my head, but all of a sudden I was like, ‘I can do this.’ I truly believed I could be holding the trophy.” That belief, forged through years of near-misses—including a 2017 US Open final loss to Sloane Stephens—propelled her to the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and a career-high ranking of number five.
Yet, returning to competition brought a surprise Keys hadn’t anticipated: the relentless pressure of her elevated status. At Indian Wells, she roared to the semifinals, notching wins over Anastasia Potapova, Elise Mertens, and Donna Vekić, only to be steamrolled 6-0, 6-1 by a vengeful Sabalenka. “I don’t know if you’ve ever lost like that in front of a massive crowd,” she admitted, reflecting on the physical and mental toll of that match. “I wasn’t 100% prepared for the expectation that comes with being a Grand Slam champion.” The Charleston Open, where she kicked off her campaign with a 6-3, 7-6(4) victory over compatriot Caroline Dolehide, has offered a fresh lens on this shift. “Now the girls raise their level a lot when they play against me,” she observed. “That’s my new reality since I won the Australian Open. It’s what winning a Grand Slam does—you shoot up in the rankings and position yourself where many aspire to be.”
This heightened competition has forced Keys to adapt. Once a prodigy touted as the next Serena Williams, she’s spent over a decade battling injuries—wrist surgery in 2017, a hamstring tear at Wimbledon in 2024—and the weight of expectation. Her Miami Open run ended abruptly in the third round against Elena Rybakina, a reminder of the tour’s unforgiving nature. But Keys, now guided by her husband and coach Bjorn Fratangelo, credits a mental reset for her resurgence. “I finally got to the point where I thought, ‘If it happens, amazing; if it doesn’t, it’s OK—I’ll still be proud of myself,’” she said of her pre-Australian Open mindset. Therapy, a cornerstone of her preparation, has helped her embrace vulnerability, turning emotional lows into fuel for growth.
Off the court, Keys savored a mental break after Melbourne, skipping the Middle East swing to recharge. “Taking that time at home was really important,” she noted, highlighting the contrast between that respite and the jolt of returning to action. Now, with Charleston’s green clay underfoot, she’s blending reflection with ambition. Her aggressive style—marked by a blistering serve and a forehand that’s among the game’s most potent—remains her calling card, but she’s learning to navigate the spotlight’s glare. “It’s not just about tennis,” she mused. “It’s about trying to be better as a person, not just better at the performance.” As she eyes the clay season and beyond, Keys’ journey—from prodigy to champion—reveals a player embracing her evolution, one surprising challenge at a time.