‘Drinks are on you,’ Keys tells best friend Stephens
NEW YORK: Madison Keys surveyed the wreck age of her US Open rout at the hands of close friend Sloane Stephen sand told the new champion to foot the bar bill when the championship party starts.
Keys, the 15th seed, was trounced by world number 83 Stephen sin a one-sided final that lasted just over an hour.
But Keys fully expected her pal to make up for the pain she caused.
“Of course I will goto the celebration, I would 100% go. She can buy me drinks, all of the drinks,” said Keys.
Stephens would have no problem in funding the party after her win on Saturday earned a staggering $3.7 million.
The 22-year-old Keys had under gone a second left wrist surgery after the French Open before winning a July title at Stanford.
But her problems on Saturday were more in the mind than with the body.
“I definitely think my play came down to nerves and all of that, and I just don’t think I handled the occasion perfectly,” admitted Keys, playing in her first Slam final.
“I was obviously nervous all morning. Sloane’s a tough opponent to play when you’re not making a lot of balls, but then, at the same time, she’s not going to miss, either.
“I didn’t totally know what to do once I got on the court, which just intensifies those nerve seven more. So I was definitely not feeling 100% on court at any point.”
The brutal statistics illustrate her lack of cutting edge in the final.
Keys, the youngest finalist in NewYorksince19-year-oldCaroline Wozniacki lost to Kim Clijsters in 2009, went into the match having fired 34 ace sin the tournament.
But Saturday saw her manage just three.
Keys also committed 30 unforced errors to Stephen s’ s six.
“I didn’t play my best tennis today. I’m really disappointed,” said Keys.
“But if you told me as I was getting on a plane togo have my second surgery that I could have a Grand Slam finalist trophy in my hands at the end of the year, I think I’d be really happy.
“I think I mostly learned that I’m a fighter. No matter what, I can figure things out. In a couple of days, I will be really happy, but right now still a little bit disappointed.”
Keys said she was not surprised that Stephens had become a first-time Grand Slam champion even if her friend was ranked at 957 just under two months ago after missing 11 months with a left foot injury.
I think I mostly learned that I’m a fighter. No matter what, I can figure things out. In a couple of days, I will be really happy.
MADISON KEYS, On her loss