Stepping onto the court at Indian Wells for the first time last week, Madison Keys would have been happy to win one set, never mind back-to-back matches.
The BNP Paribas Open is Keys’ first competitive tournament since October’s WTA Finals in Singapore. She was forced to miss the first two months of 2017 after recovering from surgery on her wrist. Coming through her first test against Mariana Duque-Marino in straight sets, Monday’s encounter was a tougher test. Facing Keys was another rising star of the women’s game, Japan’s Naomi Osaka. Some tipped the match to be an epic clash, but in reality it was a straightforward 6-1, 6-4, win in the favour of the ninth seed.
“I think my service games were really good, got me out of trouble a couple of times.” Said Keys. “Overall, I’m just happy to be out here, happy to have another win.”
Keys’ absence from the tour has intensified her desire to succeed. An issue such as a wrist injury could throw a player’s career into mayhem, like it once did for Juan Martin del Potro. Fortunately for the 22-year-old, the injury was not as devastating as the Argentines. Speaking about her time away from the tour, Keys admitted that it has given her a new perspective on her career.
“It definitely made me appreciate it a lot more.” She said about her absence due to injury. “The end of the season, kind of like from the US Open on, was really tough for me. Everything was painful, and it was really hard to just get myself out there and keep practicing and keep doing it”
“Now, being able to hit, and pain-free, it’s great. So that’s definitely been a big blessing for me.”
A lack of match play isn’t without its consequences. Following her first match, an upbeat Keys joked that ‘everything was sore’. An unsurprising revelation considering her four-month hiatus from the tour. Still, it raises uncertainty about how she will fair in her biggest test yet. A fourth round clash against Caroline Wozniacki.
“Honestly, I think once you kind of get into the groove and you have had that first match, you have dealt with those nerves, and all of that, you kind of settle in in a lot of ways. So I’m not really concerned about that.” She replied when asked about the prospect of playing matches two days in a row.
Revenge will be on the mind of the world No.9 in the next round. Last year she succumbed in straight sets to Wozniacki at the US Open.
