Madison Keys is off the mark at her native US Open with an impressive triumph over Katerina Siniakova.
Keys suffered a gut-wrenching hamstring injury during her round-of-16 encounter with Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon last month. After leading 5-2 in the deciding set, she was reduced to tears as she was forced to retire once the Italian had leveled proceedings at 5-5.
However, upon returning to full fitness in time for the US Open, Keys registered a blistering display in the opening round to defeat the Czech 6-4 6-1 in just over an hour.
It was a performance that offered encouragement for the success awaiting the Americans at Flushing Meadows.
Keys is among a catalog of home hopes that are all vying to follow in the footsteps of Coco Gauff who captured the hearts of her country 12 months ago.
Madison Keys applauds Coco Gauff’s maturity
Gauff, who has struggled for form in the run-up to her title defense, snapped any doubts of a first-round exit as she cruised past Varvara Gracheva 6-2 6-0.
Last year, Gauff became the first American teenager to lift the trophy at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams in 1999, and there is naturally a weight of expectation to emulate this form going into this year’s tournament.
However, for Keys, the success that her compatriot has been able to achieve through all the pressure is what makes the 20-year-old so admirable.
“I think from the start we all knew she [Gauff] was going to be an amazing player,” Keys said after her round-one win.
“She is incredibly mature and carries herself in a way that I wish I carried myself when I was her age.
“It’s not really been a surprise [her development] because you could see it from the start, but it’s also been really impressive how she’s been able to continue to do as well as she has through all of the expectation and pressure that’s been put on her.”
Keys’ US Open run
Keys has notoriously done well at her native grand slam, having reached the final in 2017 and the semi-finals twice thereafter.
The 29-year-old has expressed her desire to succeed at this tournament but will have to muscle her way past some tough opposition to do so as she could face the red-hot favorite Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round.
Having been on the brink of the quarter-finals at Wimbledon earlier this year, she will feel utterly hard done by to have been injured at such a crucial stage, particularly after seeing Paolini make it right through to the final.
However, Keys appears to be back to full health and is certainly among the contenders to go deep at the US Open this year.
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