By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Monday, June 2, 2025
Photograph credit score: Tony Chang/Chang Pictures
Madison Keys battled previous a rising American expertise to guide 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, continues 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 comfortable to be right here. Issues had been as shut as they might have been to being gone as doable,” Keys mentioned afterwards, referring to saving three match factors in her earlier match with Sofia Kenin. “I believe you play a bit of bit freer when you realize that, but additionally, enormous alternative at present to sort of get by means of that and make one other quarterfinal right here.”
“So a bit of little bit of each. Somewhat bit grateful that I am nonetheless within the match, but additionally sort of simply understanding the chance that I had at present, desirous to exit and play actually strong and guarantee that I took benefit of that.”
Keys loved a snug first set as her lesser skilled opponent regarded to seek out her kind. 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, stored neck and neck with Keys and regarded probably able to power a decider. Baptiste, exhibiting a potent all courtroom sport, served her approach to 5-4 within the set after Keys simply missed on a forehand return whereas holding a break level. Keys’ expertise then confirmed by means of within the subsequent sport. After Keys held for 5-all, she introduced the strain 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 Pictures (@JJlovesTennis) June 2, 2025
Up subsequent is a well-recognized pleasant foe in No. 2 seed Coco Gauff.
This will likely be their sixth profession assembly and first since Madrid again in 2024. Keys feels Gauff is at her finest on clay.
“I believe Coco is clearly fairly dominant on clay. I might say it is most likely her finest floor to play on,” Keys instructed the media in Paris. “It is clearly an enormous problem. I believe for me it is going to be rather a lot about making an attempt to stability going after issues, however understanding along with her potential to cowl the courtroom, you are going to should win the purpose a number of occasions earlier than it is really over.
“So I believe that is at all times one of many trickier issues whenever you’re enjoying somebody who strikes in addition to she does. You then even have the risk in opposition to her of if at any level you sort of lose management of the purpose, she’s going to be the aggressor.
“So I believe 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, continues to be impressed how the youthful American is ready to deal with all of the strain and a focus she receives.
“I am at all times simply actually impressed with the truth that she handles it so properly, 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.”
