Keys and the new era in tennis: "There are 20 different players that wouldn't surprise you if they won a tournament"

Madison Keys is not going to change her mindset despite winning her first Grand Slam at 30 years old. With Roland Garros just around the corner, the American confesses that her approach to playing a major has not changed. Moreover, she took advantage of her arrival at WTA Rome to talk about the differences in conditions between the Italian capital and Madrid, the number of players deciding to become mothers, and to give her opinion on tennis trending towards a more physical sport.

Change in playing conditions

"I always feel that returning to sea level feels quite good. You don't have those balls coming at you out of nowhere like in Madrid. So yes, I always definitely feel very comfortable in these conditions."

Nothing changes despite having a Grand Slam title

"To be honest, I probably feel the same as in any other Grand Slam. It's the first time I know it's not my main goal anymore. I think there are personal things where you start to shift your perspective a little. In that case, it's different. But I think at the same time, the reality is that you've just won another tournament. Yes, it's the most important one. But at the end of the day, I think we all say we win one and we're not satisfied, and we want to win another. In that sense, it's like: 'Okay, it was great and fun, but I want to focus on the next one and try to win another'."

Failed attempts to adapt her game to clay courts

"I think it took me a few years to figure out which part of my game I wanted to adapt to this surface. I think some years I played too passively and tried to become a clay court player. Other years I tried to be as aggressive as on hard courts. I think in the past two years, I've found the middle ground of how I want to play with some tweaks. I think it's one of those surfaces where the more matches you play, the more comfortable you feel."

Difference between Madrid and Rome

"I think this surface is the one where the weather conditions are most noticeable. In Madrid, it obviously plays much faster, especially when it's hotter. But here, if it's sunny, it bounces a lot. If it rains and it's cold, it plays much heavier. I think, at least in my opinion, it depends more on the conditions in which you play. Some are faster, others slower. It has much more to do with the weather conditions."

'Baby Boom' in the WTA

"I find it incredible that there are so many mothers on the tour. I think it demonstrates how resilient women are. I think the tour's support is incredible, that there have been so many opportunities for many women to start a family and then come back and continue practicing the sport. I don't know if that will be me. I haven't gone that far yet. We'll see someday, and then I'll have a better answer for you. I've really enjoyed having Bjorn as a coach these past two years. It was definitely not something we were planning. It's nice to see your husband every day, so that's a plus."

Challenges of playing against an injured opponent
I don't recall an exact experience, but it has surely happened to me. If you know that someone is going through something or every time they start walking towards the net, you think, 'Are we done? Have I won?'. I think it's difficult because you have to focus much more on the other side of the net. Sometimes when you're injured, you go for everything. Sometimes it goes in, so you play a bit more freely. It's a delicate situation."

No clear opinion on electronic line calling

"I don't know. I have mixed feelings about it. I think, in a way, it's great because it avoids arguments. You don't have to go down and argue about what touched and what didn't. I also know that electronic line calling has a margin of error. I think it's a bit complicated when you're looking at a mark that is clearly out, but the machine says it touched. So, I don't know. I still don't know what my stance is on it. I think it's good that you have to keep playing, and there's no room for debates."

Tennis becoming more open and physical

"I think there are many players. It's happening more and more on both tours that there are 20 different people that you wouldn't be surprised to see win the tournament. I think partly it's because we've lost some of our legends. Serena Williams isn't in every draw now, and it was taken for granted she would win. On the men's side, we don't have Roger, Rafa, and Novak every week. But I also think the base level has risen a lot. I think the margin of error has decreased. I think that shows in some of the wins and losses because they are much closer, and if both play well, the match will be fantastic. It could be two points different."

"I think, in general, everyone has improved a lot. The game has become much more physical. I think everyone is doing a great job, investing in their careers, and having physiotherapists, fitness, and all that. I think there are more people now who are faster and stronger, and at the same time, they stay healthy for longer," says Keys, who will arrive at Roland Garros in a situation she had never experienced before, as a Grand Slam champion.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Keys y la nueva era en el tenis: "Hay 20 jugadores diferentes que no te sorprendería que ganaran un torneo"