All-American Open final hopes were dashed on Thursday when Madison Keys suffered a three-set defeat to No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka, who is now set to face Coco Gauff in the women's title.
After the match, Madison Keys held an emotional press conference, receiving support from her fans. He expressed his disappointment, saying, "I think at the beginning of the tournament everyone would be really excited to get to the semifinals. Right now, it sucks," holding back tears.
The 28-year-old Keys won the first set 6-0 but then lost the next two sets 6-7 (1) and 6-7 (10-5) in the tiebreaker. Despite her heartbreaking loss, she remained optimistic and said, "Yeah, I just think, it's really possible to be able to accept it and turn it into a positive." She paused for a moment to wipe away her tears and added, "Yes, there is a lot to be proud of, and there is still a lot of tennis left to be played."
Keys expresses her disappointment and reflects on her U.S. Open journey.
In the match, Keys had a chance to close it out, leading 5–3 in the second set and serving for the win. Keys wins the first set but loses the next two in tiebreakers.
Madison Keys fights back tears as she discusses her performance.
Keys remains optimistic and looks ahead to the future.
Tennis fans on social media show support for Keys' emotional display. "I feel disappointed for Madison Keys," one user on .Like that kind of crying gives you a headache, I feel so bad."
Fans relate to the emotional toll of the match.
Despite the loss, Keys remains a strong and inspiring athlete.