By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Monday, June 2, 2025
Picture credit score: Tony Chang/Chang Pictures
Madison Keys battled previous a rising American expertise to e book her place within the Roland Garros quarterfinals.
Subsequent for her: Coco Gauff, the highest ranked American girl.
No. 7-seeded Keys defeated Hailey Baptiste 6-3, 7-5 within the fourth spherical to return to the final eight in Paris for the third time in her profession.
Keys, who knocked off Iga Swiatek and No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to seize her maiden main on the Australian Open in January, remains to be within the hunt to presumably full a uncommon Calendar Grand Slam, ought to she win the title in Paris.
Keys wins the all-American conflict! 💪
🔜 Iinto the #RolandGarros quarters 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/vZ4G2kViRL
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 2, 2025
“Positively nonetheless joyful to be right here. Issues have been as shut as they may have been to being gone as attainable,” Keys mentioned afterwards, referring to saving three match factors in her earlier match with Sofia Kenin. “I feel you play slightly bit freer when you already know that, but additionally, big alternative at this time to form of get via that and make one other quarterfinal right here.”
“So slightly little bit of each. A little bit bit grateful that I am nonetheless within the event, but additionally form of simply realizing the chance that I had at this time, eager to exit and play actually strong and be sure that I took benefit of that.”
Keys loved a snug first set as her lesser skilled opponent appeared to seek out her type. Baptiste, who has mentioned clay is her favourite floor, rapidly discovered it within the second set. Baptiste loved an early service break, however then performed a poor sport to drop her serve at love for 2-3.
Later within the set, Baptiste, 23, stored neck and neck with Keys and appeared doubtlessly able to power a decider. Baptiste, exhibiting a potent all courtroom sport, served her option to 5-4 within the set after Keys simply missed on a forehand return whereas holding a break level. Keys’ expertise then confirmed via within the subsequent sport. After Keys held for 5-all, she introduced the stress again on Baptiste’s serve.
Ripping a 97 MPH forehand winner, Keys rapidly discovered herself at 15-40. She then struck one other huge down the road forehand winner to safe the break for 6-5. Keys, serving for the match, fended off a break level, earlier than lastly sealing the win with a crosscourt forehand winner.
.@Madison_Keys in motion beneath the Paris solar pic.twitter.com/O0sgLHBfQx
— Jimmie48 Pictures (@JJlovesTennis) June 2, 2025
Up subsequent is a well-recognized pleasant foe in No. 2 seed Coco Gauff.
This can be their sixth profession assembly and first since Madrid again in 2024. Keys feels Gauff is at her finest on clay.
“I feel Coco is clearly fairly dominant on clay. I’d say it is in all probability her finest floor to play on,” Keys instructed the media in Paris. “It is clearly an enormous problem. I feel for me it’ll be so much about making an attempt to steadiness going after issues, however realizing together with her skill to cowl the courtroom, you are going to must win the purpose a number of occasions earlier than it is truly over.
“So I feel that is at all times one of many trickier issues if you’re taking part in somebody who strikes in addition to she does. You then even have the menace towards her of if at any level you form of lose management of the purpose, she’s going to be the aggressor.
“So I feel the largest factor is the steadiness of going for issues, however with sufficient margin that it is a repeatable ball, shot after shot.”
Having recognized and performed towards Gauff, 21, for a while now, Keys, 30, remains to be impressed how the youthful American is ready to deal with all of the stress and a spotlight she receives.
“I am at all times simply actually impressed with the truth that she handles it so nicely, as a result of she’s had much more success and extra media consideration than I had, and I do know that it was undoubtedly actually exhausting for me at occasions to deal with it,” Keys mentioned. “I really feel such as you watch her, and he or she simply takes all of it in stride and continues to only be 100% her, and I am at all times simply actually impressed by it.”
