Former Australian Open champion Madison Keys felt “scared” and as though “I couldn’t play tennis anymore,” she said Saturday after losing at the US Open.
Keys has not reached those heights this year, but she had a 33-14 record coming into the US Open and won a Wimbledon warmup tournament in June. She did not get beyond the round of 16 at any Grand Slam in 2026.
“I feel like I’ve been struggling for awhile now,” she said. “I’m going to have to make some sort of changes.
Keys Falls Short After Strong Start Against Zheng Qinwen
Madison Keys lost to Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen of China in a dramatic match, squandering a commanding 5-0 lead in the third set. Keys had a match point but ultimately dropped the last seven games, resulting in a final score of 1-6, 7-6, 7-5.
Reflecting on her performance, Keys expressed her frustration, stating, “I obviously got off to a really good lead, and then I got really scared, like I couldn’t swing.” She acknowledged a shift in momentum, saying, “At the end, I think she started playing better; I started playing poorly.”
Despite the setback, Keys has shown resilience in her career. Eight years after reaching the US Open final in 2017, she claimed her first major title at the Australian Open in 2025, defeating Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka in the final rounds.
