20-year-old Madison Keys won her first WTA tour event just last year, but tennis fans have been hearing her name for a long time. (Keys won her first WTA tour match at the age of 14.) Keys is a particularly powerful player, a 5’10” battler who brings a big serve and rips the two-handed backhand. She made it to the semifinals at the Australian Open in January 2015, where she lost in straight sets to Serena Williams. She faces Serena Williams again at the US Open round of 16 today, September 6. (Keys had defeated Venus Williams to reach the Aussie semis.)
That Australian success came on the heels of Keys hiring 3-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport as her coach. Like Keys, Davenport was also noted for her powerful groundstrokes. Unlike Keys, Davenport has been ranked No. 1 in the world (eight different times). That’s where Madison Keys wants to go — and she has the talent to do it. Davenport is a perfect match for Keys, especially for her ability to share the mental strength required to succeed consistently at the highest levels.
