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September 7, 2023,
In recent years, the American star Madison Keys had too many early exits from the US Open.
Inconsistency being a major factor.
The last time she truly found her form was when she surged into the finals during the 2017 US Open tournament where she lost to her good friend and fellow American Sloane Stephens.
That was when the hug heard around the world occurred.
Sloane took to her Social Media to show her support to Madison before the match.
Madison would need it today as she faces the 9th seed and reigning Wimbledon champion in the Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova.
Let’s go courtside for first row seats.
FIRST SET
Madison doesn’t put any expectations on herself now. Trying to play relaxed and loose.
Marketa, now 24, won 2023 Wimbledon is such an impressive way. Previously had two wrist surgeries. Has kinesis tape all the way down her left arm. She expresses that she is a little sore.
Makes you wonder if she should be playing doubles at such an important singles tournament.
Players are glad it is at night. Very humid still, but at least not under the sun.
Madison serves well. Marketa hits it out. 15-0. Madison is hitting well 30-0. Serves down the T, 40-0. Finally hits a ground stroke out. 40-15. Double faults next serve. 40-30. Great serve, solid ground strokes but Marketa hits a nice passing shot. 40-40. Soft serve. Makes unforced error. Add Marketa, break point. Hard ground war, Marketa hits into the net. Deuce.
They need to take a break. On the very humid night, a spectator needs medical aid.
Madison’s charity is Kindness Wins.
Madison starts again with good serving. Add Madison. Serves well again as Marketa hits it out.
1-0 for Madison.
Marketa has never lost in the quarters. Madison comes to net. Appears to be her strategy. Marketa’s passing shot goes wide. Then she double faults. 0-30. Great rally. Madison finally hits a winner. 0-40. Madison moves Marketa wide, who then dumps it into the next.
Madison leads 2-0.
Nice serve down the T. 15-0. Marketa hits into the net. 30-0. Great rally, Madison draws Marketa in with a drop shot, but misses the passing shot, 30-15. During another great rally, Madison draws her in again and this time Marketa dumps the passing shot into the net, 40-15. Madison now hits an ace.
3-0 for Madison.
Marketa to serve.
Madison hits a great shot off the line. 0-15. Marketa gets an easy overhead 15-15. Double faults. 15-30. Madison hits Marketa’s serve out wide, dumps Marketa’s return into the net. Madison is hitting hard. 40-40. Madison continues to be consistent, drawing Marketa out wide until the Czech star hits out. Add Madison. The American star hits a great corner shot.
4-0 for Madison.
Madison continues to hit very well, 15-0. Nice drop shot from Marketa, 15-15. Madison comes back with a serve down the T. 30-15. Finally hits out. 30-30. Hits a great serve. Comes to the net and puts it away. 40-30. Marketa forces a Madison error. Deuce. Great rally but Madison hits it out. Add Marketa. Madison hits a great serve and then hits behind Marketa for a winner. Deuce. Madison is starting to hit out. Madison is starting to make a few more errors. Add Marketa.
Next, a very strange point. Marketa hits an easy drop shot out. It appeared that the shot was so easy, Madison gave up on it and began to walk away. Deuce. Madison forces two errors.
5-0 for Madison.
Marketa serving but Madison is hitting well. 0-15. Madison dumps next ball into the net, 15-15. Then dumps Marketa’s serve into the net. 30-15. Madison misses an easy overhead, 40-15. Madison out hitting and having Marketa on the run but hits last shot into the net. Marketa is finally on the board.
5-1 for Madison.
Marketa hits out. 15-0 for Madison. Hits out again. 30-0 for Madison. Keys hits a sizzler down the T. Three set points, 40-0. Madison misses. Madison hits a great shot, comes into the net but Marketa hits an incredible passing shot. 40-30. Madison takes a risk and hits an incredible ground stroke, right on the back line. Wins the set.
6-1 for the set.
One set to none.
SECOND SET
Marketa to serve. Great rally, Madison hits into the net. 15-0. Then Madison hits one way out. 30-0 for Marketa. The American dumps another shot into the net, 40-0. Marketa finally makes an error, 40-15. Makes another error. 40-30. Madison hits Marketa’s serve into the net. Marketa is ahead in the second set.
1-0 for Marketa.
Great serve by Madison 15-0. Great serve down the middle, 30-0. Madison hits out, 30-15. Madison comes back with a great ground stroke right on the line. Then she hits an easy shot out, 30-15. Madison wins the next two points, concluding with a great serve.
1-1
Marketa double faults, 0-15. Marketa makes mistakes, 15-30. Madison returns the serve into the net, 30-30. Marketa is catching on to Madison’s approach attempts. Hits a great passing shot then forces Madison to hit out.
2-1 for Marketa.
Madison starting to make errors 30-30. Marketa hitting some great shots, 30-40. Madison hits great wide shots, 40-40. Follows up with a great serve down the T, add Madison. Marketa then hits out.
2-2.
Marketa double faults. Keys hits out, 15-15. Marketa hits nice ground stokes, comes to net, Madison hits out. Marketa starting to hit effective drop shots, 40-15. Madison hits great return of serve, 40-30 for Marketa. Madison has not really ignited the New York crowd which is very quiet.
3-2 for Marketa.
Madison serves well. Marketa hits out, 15-0. Coming to net has not been working for Madison, 15-15. Madison makes up for it with a bullet down the line winner, 30-15. Madison playing better, 40-15. Then double faults. First of the set, second in the match. Madison needs this game. Plays a great final game.
3-3.
Marketa to serve. Hits a fantastic one down the T, 15-0. Now 30-0. Now 40-0. Starting to move Madison around, forcing unforced errors. Finally hits out, 40-15. Madison hits into the net. Madison clearly making more unforced errors.
In recent years, this has been her Achilles heel.
4-3 for Marketa.
Madison to serve. Forces Marketa to hit out and wide. Madison needs to keep the pressure on. Madison lets up too much, hits into the net, 15-15. Marketa out volleys Madison at the net, 15-30. Madison makes another mistake and now Marketa has two break points, 15-40. Madison gathers herself and hits a great line shot. Needed that one, 30-40. Plays another great point, 40-40. Marketa 0-6 on break points thus far. Madison comes into net again. Big mistake. Add Marketa. Madison comes back with great corner shot. Drop shot lob, draws Madison in, and then passes her, again. Break point for Marketa. Then she hits out. Back to deuce. Madison pushes Marketa around and then hits an easy overhead out. Ninth chance for a breaker and Marketa hits into the net.
Back to deuce.
They battle on the ground, Madison comes in and this time, finally makes a good volley. Add Madison. Great return by Marketa but even better down the line hard ground stroke by Madison. She wins a game that lasted over 7 minutes.
4-4.
Now, Marketa makes two unforced errors. Down 0-30. Marketa gets a big break. Madison dumps an easy shot into the net. Madison hits out, now 0-30 is back to 30-30. Madison gets two hard shots back and finally Marketa dumps a huge point into the net. Break point for Madison. Her first of the second set. Marketa hits into the net. Madison now to serve for a spot in the semi-finals.
5-4 for Madison.
Madison goes up 30-0. Madison double faults, 30-15. Great rally, Marketa puts the pressure on, 30-30. Madison hits a great serve in and out wide. Now, has a first match point. Madison chooses to play it safe, soft serve. Marketa soon hits a great on the line shot. Back to deuce. Keys hits a deep shot on the back of the line. Marketa hits out. Another match point. Marketa plays better. Back to deuce. Madison plays it safe on her serve. Marketa hits out. Another match point for Keys. This time Madison goes harder on the serve, soon Marketa hits out. Madison screams in elation. The match is finally over.
6-4.
Ending score 6-1, 6-4 for Madison.
Madison faced nine break points and survived them all.
This is the new and improved version of Madison.
It better be.
Next she has to face, the soon to be, number one player in the world in hard hitting Aryna Sabalenka.
Madison says it herself.
She’ll have to buckle up.
~ ~ ~
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