Clay is Her Best Surface

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 lady.

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

 

“Undoubtedly nonetheless joyful to be right here. Issues have been as shut as they might have been to being gone as attainable,” Keys mentioned afterwards, referring to saving three match factors in her earlier match with Sofia Kenin. “I believe you play somewhat bit freer when you understand that, but in addition, large alternative right this moment to form of get by means of that and make one other quarterfinal right here.”

“So somewhat little bit of each. A little bit bit grateful that I am nonetheless within the match, but in addition form of simply realizing the chance that I had right this moment, eager to exit and play actually stable and make it possible for I took benefit of that.”

Keys loved a cushty first set as her lesser skilled opponent regarded to search out her type. Baptiste, who has mentioned clay is her favourite floor, rapidly discovered it within the second set. Baptiste loved an early service break, however then performed a poor recreation to drop her serve at love for 2-3.

Later within the set, Baptiste, 23, stored neck and neck with Keys and regarded doubtlessly able to pressure a decider. Baptiste, exhibiting a potent all court docket recreation, 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 recreation. After Keys held for 5-all, she introduced the stress again on Baptiste’s serve.

Ripping a 97 MPH forehand winner, Keys rapidly 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-known pleasant foe in No. 2 seed Coco Gauff.

This shall be their sixth profession assembly and first since Madrid again in 2024. Keys feels Gauff is at her greatest on clay.

“I believe Coco is clearly fairly dominant on clay. I might say it is most likely her greatest 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 so much about making an attempt to stability going after issues, however realizing together with her skill to cowl the court docket, you are going to should win the purpose a number of instances earlier than it is truly over.

“So I believe that is all the time one of many trickier issues while you’re taking part in somebody who strikes in addition to she does. Then you definately even have the menace towards her of if at any level you form of lose management of the purpose, she’s going to be the aggressor.

“So I believe the largest factor is the stability of going for issues, however with sufficient margin that it is a repeatable ball, shot after shot.”

Having recognized and performed towards Gauff, 21, for a while now, Keys, 30, continues to be impressed how the youthful American is ready to deal with all of the stress and a spotlight she receives.

“I am all the time 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 arduous 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 only be 100% her, and I am all the time simply actually impressed by it.”