Madison Keys with the most "epic AF' slam run in a while

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Im trying to think how could she have made this more epic and am coming up blank. Even her outfit looked killer.

When you factor in that she got married a few months ago and that guy is also on court coaching her it starts to look like a fairytale.

The whole things makes me feel a little bit the same as Wimbledon 2001 mens final where someone gets something that they have been chasing for a long tine and not only gets it but achieves the win in a ridiculously poetic way.
 

jl809

Legend
IMO the most epic slam run for a very, very long time. It’s like Djoker’s USO 2011 combined with Ivanisevic’s Wimbledon 2001 title and Federer’s AO 2017. Beating the top seeds and best players in the world, getting through multiple epic matches, winning from MPs down against one of the best players in the world, AND ending years of what-ifs and near misses

There is not a slam run on the men’s side that comes close that I can think of tbh. This had it all

Also winning the title with a brutal inside out flat forehand with ridiculous angle was goddamn sweet
 

Pheasant

Legend
This was one heck of a Cinderella story. This is right up there with Sloane Stephens and her protected ranking won the 2017 USO. She missed 3 straight slams, then was knocked out of the 2017 WI tourney in the first round before her epic 2017 USO title run. Sloane hadn’t seen a QF at a slam in 4 years at that point.

But….this one with Maddy feels better. I cannot explain it. I was extremely happy in 2017. But this one takes it. This is a top-5 most exciting moment for me in the WTA, which dates back to the days of Evert and Martina.


Congrats Maddy!!!
 

thrust

Legend
I think marriage did help Keys because she is probably happier than she has ever been and that her husband being a former tennis player, probably was a big help in her attitude and game. Whatever, I am very glad Keys finally won a slam, which was well deserved.
 
This is the type of run that people thought she could have her footwork and movement improved because the ground stroke firepower is obviously there.

12 wins in a row, 7 vs. top 17, 5 vs. top 10, back to back vs. the works #2 and #1 who were both playing well, with just about every single wind being a relatively close match, which is really unheard of.
 

Ray Mercer

Hall of Fame
Big brave hitting. Love to see it. Congrats to her. I love the humble reaction when she wins. Sabalenka is so unlikeable and such a poor sport. She makes all these stupid dance videos to try to get over but her true character showed here smashing the racquet. You got to love the underdog win.
 
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D-Lite

Hall of Fame
Li
Ruse (journeywoman but played very well in this match)
Collins
Rybakina
Svitolina
Swiatek
Two times defending champ Sabalenka


Amazing stuff.
To note the contrast, Ann Li had beaten Stephens, Keys' 2017 USO final victor, in Auckland and Hobart leading up to the AO.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
That's her game though. When it works it looks epic, when it doesn't, it's like a Jenga tower ready to collapse.
Her results at HC majors since 2023 AO are still insanely good and you have to expect there's a good chance she will be in the AO and USO finals potentially multiple more times over the next 3-4 years providing she doesn't take any time off to start a family.
 

Robert F

Hall of Fame
3rd set was great from both ends of the court. Keys played so clean and took advantage of Sab being just a little off in the first set and then they decided to switch roles.
Hope both of them can keep this up.

Hoping this builds match consistency for Keys. She's played so many slams where she plays 3-4 amazing matches then has an off day where winners are just out--but enough to lose.
 

Galvermegs

Professional
Ill remind everyone of krejcicova last year

Kudermetova (bad matchup)
Collins (having her best season overall)
Ostapenko (good grasscourt record)
Rybakina (huge title favorite. Not enough known at this stage to blame vukic etc)
Paolini (not easy to put away. Huge crowd favorite)

Even rounds 2 and 3 could have been easier but i concede the spanish girl retired. R2 had its dicey moments like r1

Keys did really well but she also came in off a title. Babs had no form and poor fitness (stll poor as she didnt play this event and would be a tough matchup for even keys on a given day).
 
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Bottle2

New User
She finally did what many of us knew she was always capable of doing.
And it's thoroughly great. And Iga Swiatek played better against Maddie than Aryna Sabalenka did. And the joint statement by Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport about Swiatek turning away just as Keys was about to serve is singular in its small-minded bitchiness.

Keys won! Wasn't that enough? Perhaps the margin of victory was too close for them.

I understand: Keys is American and Swiatek is Polish. But Swiatek is the reincarnation of Katharine Hepburn, who was American.
 
I've never been a Keys fan, and still not a Keys fan, but I feel like a million or more dollars right now :giggle:
In fact I wanted Sabalenka to win because I like seeing players win 3 in a row of a slam!
But Keys was so inspirational and entertaining that I'm beaming with delight and can feel my lips smiling on my pillow :D
 

Zardoz7/12

Hall of Fame
I'm very happy for her and I hope this starts a late career resurgence for her, she's 29 now and if she stays healthy and motivated then I wouldn't put it past her to win more slams.

What a whirlwind couple of months for her, getting married to Bjorn Fratangelo then winning a Grand Slam.
 

Mark-Touch

Legend
Her results at HC majors since 2023 AO are still insanely good and you have to expect there's a good chance she will be in the AO and USO finals potentially multiple more times over the next 3-4 years providing she doesn't take any time off to start a family.
There you go. I knew it had to happen. And it didn't take long.
It's simply impossible for some here not to start predicting future finals/slams for someone
who just won their maiden slam (at age 29). :)
 

ND-13

Legend
Her personality (which I started to question in her interviews) got severely downgraded today when she smashed
her racket on the ground in disgust after losing.

She is not the first or last person to break racket. Generally people who have broken carry a level of attraction, mostly positive.

Again, if she can control her shrieking, it would be good.
 

Pinocchio

Rookie
Mark-Touch said:
Her personality (which I started to question in her interviews) got severely downgraded today when she smashed her racket on the ground in disgust after losing.
Yeah, who the heck could ever think Sabalenka had a great personality? Only losers smash racquets because they lost! Other playes smash them because they're mad at something... like their last shot, or some stupid thing they did, or after (they believe) an umpire's call robbed them, etc...

Plus the screaming, it's insane, not just the dB level, screams for 2 seconds after her shot when the ball is on her opponent's side of the net. It's not a natural exertive sound, it's deliberate, obnoxious and disrespetcful - and that is why she does it!
 
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