Madison Keys experienced the highest moment of her career during this year’s Australian Open but then was hit with “an existential crisis” after returning home and realizing that the thing she battled for her entire career was finally there.
While just 11 years old, the American was already then tipped by coaches to be a future Grand Slam champion and do big things for American tennis. But a maiden Major title didn’t come early although she made her first Slam final during the 2017 US Open at the age of 22.
Just when it started to seem realistic that Keys would maybe never win a Grand Slam, she completed an outstanding run at this year’s Australian Open after beating Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka en route to winning her first Major just three weeks before her 30th birthday.
Keys: Former players told me that the existential crisis is totally normal
“It was really emotionally draining. I mean, you were just experiencing the highest of highs and then you come home and it just kind of ends. I was basically comatose just trying to recover. It was an amazing achievement, I was so happy, but the emotional roller coaster afterwards was a little bit surprising,” the 30-year-old told ESPN in Indian Wells.
While going through an emotional roller coaster, the American tennis star reached out to former stars to ask for advice.
“It’s actually funny how many former players I had reach out and be like, ‘The existential crisis is totally normal,’” Keys added.
In the same interview, the world No. 7 also revealed that she was told her first practice after a maiden Slam win wouldn’t be easy. And after completing her first practice session after Australia, she felt it was “tragic.”
Meanwhile, Keys is returning to action in Indian Wells and plays Anastasia Potapova in her first match since the Australian Open.
Tennis World USA