NEW YORK, Sept 1 : American Madison Keys overcame early jitters to down Russian Alina Korneeva 7-5 6-4 within the first spherical of the U.S. Open on Tuesday, exorcising the demons of her early exit a yr in the past.
Simply months after successful her first Grand Slam title on the 2025 Australian Open, Keys crashed out within the first spherical at Flushing Meadows after being overcome by debilitating nerves.
However Keys felt extra at dwelling this time round – enhancing her first-serve proportion from 48 per cent within the first set to almost 70 per cent within the second. She’s going to subsequent meet both Czech Lucie Havlickova or Hungarian Anna Bondar.
“It is so arduous to play the primary spherical of a Grand Slam. So nervous and eager to do properly,” stated Keys. “So grateful I used to be in a position to combat by means of that.”
Keys checked out first as if she would cruise by means of the match on Arthur Ashe Stadium as she gained the primary three video games however the Russian broke again within the fifth when Keys hit a forehand shot wildly out of bounds.
After buying and selling breaks once more, Keys broke her opponent on her third set level with a high-quality backhand strike and improved her degree throughout the board in a aggressive second set.
Down 4-2 within the second set, Korneeva got here out on high following a nifty cat-and-mouse alternate close to the online to interrupt again however her reduction was short-lived.
She was left scrambling for a backhand shot simply out of attain as she dropped serve once more within the eighth sport.Â
Keys handed her opponent the break with a handful of errors within the ninth however regained her composure to clinch it within the subsequent sport with one in all her signature forehand strikes.