Madison Keys reveals a loss to Serena Williams that occurred a decade ago prompted a big change as that particular day she promised herself she would never again allow herself to be tight and scared to play her game in the biggest moments.
In 2015, a teenage Keys upset Agnieszka Radwanska to make her first US Open round-of-16.
As a reward, she got to meet one of the greatest ever on the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
But it didn’t go well as Williams claimed a routine 6-3 6-3 win.
Now, the 29-year-old American is a Grand Slam champion after beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 2-6 7-5 and preventing the Belarusian from completing a three-peat at the Australian Open.
Keys: I never again wanted to have that regret
“I think after I lost to Serena at the US Open in the semifinals (it was actually in the round-of-16), the biggest thing that I walked away with from that match was thinking I never want to regret not playing the big moments the way that I want to play them ever again,” the world No. 7 said on the WTA Insider podcast.
“I don’t care if I lose, I don’t care if I hit the forehand into the back fence, but if I hit it the way that I wanted to hit it and I was going after it, I can live with that.”
Meanwhile, Keys met Williams in the…
