New York City in September is a mood. It’s loud, it’s sweaty, and if you're Madison Keys, it’s the place that basically defined your entire career before you even hit thirty.
Most tennis fans look back at the Madison Keys US Open journey and think of one thing: the 2017 final. It was weird. It was fast. It was honestly a bit of a gut punch for anyone who wanted a three-set thriller. But if you think that lopsided loss to Sloane Stephens was the end of the story, you've got it all wrong. It was actually the prologue.
The Night the Power Shut Off (2017)
Let's be real for a second. That 2017 final against Sloane Stephens was a nightmare for Madison. She walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium with her leg heavily taped and her nerves likely shot. She had just demolished CoCo Vandeweghe in the semis—I’m talking peak "Madi-ball" where every forehand was a guided missile.
Then came the final.
She lost 6-3, 6-0. It took about an hour.
📖 Related: The New England Patriots Depth Chart: Why Jerod Mayo’s Vision is Finally Taking Shape
Instead of a battle, we got a massacre of unforced errors. Madison hit 30 of them; Sloane hit six. Six! It was the kind of performance that can break a player’s spirit forever. But then something happened that you just don't see in pro sports. They didn't walk away from each other. They sat on the same side of the court, laughing and whispering while the trophies were being set up.
That moment told us everything we needed to know about Madison. She’s human first, tennis player second. She later admitted she didn't handle the occasion "perfectly." That’s an understatement. But it set the stage for the resilience we’ve seen lately.
That 2023 Semi-Final Ghost
Fast forward to 2023. Madison is older, wiser, and still hitting the ball harder than almost anyone on the planet. She’s up against Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals.
First set? 6-0 Keys. Total dominance.
She was serving for the match in the second set. She was this close to getting back to that final and erasing the 2017 demons. But Sabalenka is a wall. A very loud, very powerful wall. Madison lost that match in a third-set tiebreak (the 10-point kind they use now) after Sabalenka literally forgot the score and celebrated early.
🔗 Read more: Niners Score Update: What's the Score to the Niners Game Right Now?
It was another "Madison Keys US Open" heartbreak.
Honestly, it felt like she was cursed in Flushing Meadows. She’d play like a goddess for five rounds and then the wheels would just... wobble.
Why the 2025 Breakthrough Changed Everything
If you’re wondering why people are still obsessed with her New York runs, it’s because of what happened at the start of 2025.
Madison finally did it. She won a Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
She didn't just win it; she went through Iga Świątek and then beat Sabalenka in the final. It was the longest gap between a first and second Grand Slam final in the Open Era. That’s grit. You can't teach that.
When she showed up for the Madison Keys US Open 2025 campaign, the pressure was different. She was a Major champion. She was ranked in the Top 5. Everyone expected her to breeze through.
🔗 Read more: Where is Doug Edert Now: What Really Happened to the Saint Peter's Hero
Naturally, because it's tennis, she got upset in the first round by Renata Zarazua.
It was a classic trap match. Keys hit 21 winners but coughed up 37 unforced errors. Zarazua, who is 5'3", basically lived in the corners and made Madison play "one more ball" until the American’s timing drifted. It was a three-hour marathon that ended in a 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 loss.
The Stats That Actually Matter
Madison isn't a "grinder." She's a strike-first player. When people search for her stats, they see the 120mph serves and the 90mph forehands. But look at her career at the Open:
- Finalist: 2017
- Semi-finalist: 2018, 2023
- Quarter-finalist: 2015, 2019
She has a winning percentage in New York that most Top 10 players would kill for. Even when she loses, she’s usually the one deciding the match. If her flat shots are landing an inch inside the line, she's unbeatable. If they're an inch out? Well, we saw what happened against Zarazua.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her
People think Madison is "inconsistent."
I’d argue she’s just high-risk.
Think of her game like a high-performance engine. When it’s tuned right, it’s the fastest thing on the track. But those engines are finicky. One small timing issue and the whole thing vibrates. Her 2024 season was a mess of injuries—that thigh injury at Wimbledon was brutal to watch—but she keeps coming back.
Her coach (and husband!), Bjorn Fratangelo, has clearly helped her find some peace. She’s doing things like the "Kindness Wins" initiative. She’s baking. She’s living a life. Maybe that's why she's still relevant in 2026 while others from her generation have burned out.
Actionable Insights for the Next Open
If you're watching Madison Keys at the US Open this year or next, keep an eye on these three things:
- The Toss: If her ball toss is consistent, her serve is unreturnable. If she starts chasing it, the double faults will pile up.
- Short Points: Madison wants the point over in three shots. If a rally goes past seven, her win percentage drops significantly.
- The Crowd: New York loves her. If she gets the "Let's go Madi!" chants going in Louis Armstrong or Ashe, she feeds off that energy unlike anyone else.
The story of Madison Keys at the US Open isn't finished. She has the hardware from Melbourne now, which takes the "can she win a big one?" weight off her shoulders. Now, she just gets to play. And a relaxed Madison Keys is the most dangerous person in the draw.
Make sure you check the official USTA schedule the day before her matches; she’s notorious for playing the late-night sessions that end at 1 AM. Bring coffee. It's always a ride.