Thursday, March 13, 2025

Madison Keys

Press Conference

M. KEYS/B. Bencic

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Maddie, congratulations on heading to the semifinals. Talk us through the match.

MADISON KEYS: I think I played really well today. Got off to a really good start and then kinda just I think ran with the momentum. Overall a good day.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Getting boring, just winning all the time like this?

MADISON KEYS: No.

Q. No? Not at all?

MADISON KEYS: No.

Q. It's been, like, a really long time. I guess my first question is: Have you had like streaks like this in the past? Chunks of time, even teenage years or juniors, where you just didn't lose for a really long time? Do you still remember quite well what it feels like to lose, or you just forget it after a while?

MADISON KEYS: No, you still remember what losing feels like. That's probably something that you'll never really forget. I don't think I've ever had a streak this long, but obviously would like for it to go even further.

Q. What's your sweatshirt, Hawkins?

MADISON KEYS: You don't know?

Q. I don't know.

MADISON KEYS: "Stranger Things."

Q. Can you say a little bit about how tricky the conditions have been this week, just weather-wise? Have you been feeling it?

MADISON KEYS: Yeah, it's been a little bit of a strange year here. Obviously always kind of prepared for the wind, but it's been hot and then cold and then rain. So it's definitely been a little bit of everything.

But to be expected sometimes, so just kind of have to deal with it and roll with whatever the day is giving you.

Q. Can you describe for someone who hasn't been on a stadium court in Indian Wells what the wind actually does at court level? Is it swirly, or can you describe that a little bit?

MADISON KEYS: Well, it's kind of funny, because, like, on Stadium 1 even yesterday when I was playing, Bjorn kept saying things, like to do things, and I was, like, Can you not feel that there's like 45-mile-an-hour winds happening? He's, like, No, I can't at all.

So even just the difference from the court to where they are sitting, they can't feel it. But it's pretty strong in one direction. But I do feel like because they are kind of both such big bowls it will kind of switch back and forth a little bit so it swirls a little bit.

But it's, for the most part in 1, very strong direction.

Q. Obviously you have been playing for a while. Can you recall, like, the one most difficult challenging atmosphere, weather situation you played in?

MADISON KEYS: I mean, there has obviously been some matches here that are incredibly windy. Miami when it was in Key Biscayne sometimes would be pretty brutal.

I don't know. I can't think of one like diabolical situation really (smiling).

Q. Have you ever felt this confident before on a tennis court?

MADISON KEYS: Probably not. I think the reality of winning as many matches as I have this early in a season hasn't ever really happened for me, so I think there is definitely a lot of just kind of confidence from all those wins under your belt.

I think it kind of gives me the confidence to, in really tight situations, just continue to go for kind of whatever I want to.

Q. Is there anything you're doing really different mentally, tactically this year that maybe five years ago you weren't doing, and you thought, wow, if I knew that that time ago, things could have been different?

MADISON KEYS: I think a lot of it was just kind of maturing and kind of coming to terms with where I was at just as a tennis player. I think I kind of always think that everything happens for a reason, so I think you have to go through your own personal journey in order to get to where you want to be.

So I think all of those kind of years of struggle and ups and downs just kind of led me to this point.