Madison Keys: 'It's always tough when you play someone for the first time'
by ALICE CIMINO | VIEW 2753
American Madison Keys had to maintain her coolness to snatch the first set 7-5 from Japan’s Misaki Doi, but her initial struggle was followed by a smooth 6-1 that propulsed her to the second round of the US Open. “I think [Doi is] really tough because she hits so flat and so fast," said the recent Cincinnati champion.
"She likes to take the angles away. The first couple of games I was obviously struggling with that a little bit. I think once I figured out how I wanted to play her and kind of try to go through the middle, more get her off the baseline, things started working for me a little bit better." The World No.
9 will next face Lin Zhu, with whom she still has no head-to-head record, which the American has admitted to be a tough situation. "It's always tough when you play someone for the first time," she told the press. "You don't really know their game style.
My coach got to watch some of [Zhu] today, so [I'm] going to rely on him a lot. Hopefully I can find some stuff online so I just kind of know what is coming." Keys’ best result at the US Open was achieved in 2017, when she bowed in the final to her compatriot and dear friend American Sloane Stephens. Last year, Keys was stopped in the semi-final by eventual champion Naomi Osaka.
Coco Gauff details incredibly inspiring move her father made at beginning of US Open
Fans rip Patrick Mouratoglou after he credited for Coco Gauff's win at the US Open
Novak Djokovic shares how he saved 2 MPs against Roger Federer in 2011 US Open semis
Coach Patrick Mouratoglou identifies reasons behind Novak Djokovic US Open final win
Ben Shelton reveals statement he wanted to make to Novak Djokovic at US Open
Japan Open: Lin Zhu to vie for crown in Osaka against maiden finalist, Ashlyn Krueger