By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Monday, June 2, 2025
Picture credit score: Tony Chang/Chang Images
Madison Keys battled previous a rising American expertise to ebook 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 probably 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
“Undoubtedly nonetheless glad to be right here. Issues have been as shut as they may have been to being gone as doable,” 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 realize that, but additionally, enormous alternative right this moment to form of get by way of that and make one other quarterfinal right here.”
“So slightly little bit of each. Somewhat bit grateful that I am nonetheless within the event, but additionally form of simply realizing the chance that I had right this moment, eager to exit and play actually stable and be sure that I took benefit of that.”
Keys loved a snug first set as her lesser skilled opponent regarded to seek out her type. Baptiste, who has mentioned clay is her favourite floor, shortly 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, saved neck and neck with Keys and regarded probably able to pressure a decider. Baptiste, displaying a potent all courtroom sport, served her method to 5-4 within the set after Keys simply missed on a forehand return whereas holding a break level. Keys’ expertise then confirmed by way of 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 shortly 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 Images (@JJlovesTennis) June 2, 2025
Up subsequent is a well-known pleasant foe in No. 2 seed Coco Gauff.
This might be their sixth profession assembly and first since Madrid again in 2024. Keys feels Gauff is at her greatest on clay.
“I feel Coco is clearly fairly dominant on clay. I’d say it is in all probability her greatest floor to play on,” Keys informed the media in Paris. “It is clearly a giant problem. I feel for me it is going to be lots about attempting to stability going after issues, however realizing along with her capacity to cowl the courtroom, you are going to must win the purpose a number of instances earlier than it is truly over.
“So I feel that is at all times one of many trickier issues if you’re enjoying somebody who strikes in addition to she does. Then you definately even have the risk in opposition to 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 most important factor is the stability of going for issues, however with sufficient margin that it is a repeatable ball, shot after shot.”
Having identified and performed in opposition to 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 positively actually laborious for me at instances 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 simply be 100% her, and I am at all times simply actually impressed by it.”
