Madison Keys dispatches Alison Riske to clinch Adelaide 250 title
Former US Open runner-up Madison Keys on Saturday fired a warning ahead of the start of the 2022 Australian Open by defeating her compatriot Alsion Riske in the Adelaide International. The 26-year-old star did not give Riske any opportunity to make a comeback in the contest as she wrapped up the match 6-1, 6-2 in over an hour. This is Keys' sixth WTA title.
Why does it matter?
This is Keys' first WTA title since 2019. She won her last WTA title in Cincinnati. Keys has slipped to 87th in the WTA Rankings due to her consistent battle with injury and dip in form. However, with less than two days to go for the first Grand Slam of the year, Keys could not have hoped for a better result.
How the match panned out?
Keys dominated the match and didn't allow Riske any room. She smashed four aces and made zero double faults while her opponent committed the mistake thrice and served two aces. Keys won 70.8% points on first serve and 53.8% on returning serves. Riske managed 46.2% points on her services and 29.2% on returning serves. Keys converted four of her nine breakpoints.
Really happy to get a win, says Keys
After wrapping the match in 66 minutes, Keys in her on-court interview said that she is delighted with her performance. "There were a couple of opportunities where momentum could have switched, and I think I did a really good job of just regrouping and continuing to focus on my side of the court. Really happy to get a win," Keys said.
What next for Keys?
After winning Adelaide Open, Keys will now prepare for the first Grand Slam of the year. She has a difficult road ahead of her as she is set to play 2020 champion Sofia Kenin in the first round of 2022 AO.
A look at Keys' journey in the tournament
Keys started her campaign against Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina with a 6-2, 6-4 victory. In the round of 16, she defeated Czech Republic's Tereza Martincova 6-1, 6-3. She won a hard-fought battle against young and upcoming Russian star Ludmilla Samsonova in quarters 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. She went past American prodigy Coco Gauff in the semis 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. She defeated Riske in the final.
A glance at Keys' career
Keys has won six WTA titles including Adelaide International. The other five are - Charleston Open (2019), Cincinnati Masters (2019), Stanford (2017), Birmingham (2016), and Eastbourne (2014). She has finished up as runner-up on five occasions - Brisbane (2020, US Open (2017), Rome Open (2016), Montréal Open (2016) and Charleston (2015). She was also part of America's tennis team during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Key feats achieved by Keys
As per WTA, Keys improved her record in singles finals to 6-5. She has now managed to beat a fellow American to win two of those titles. Meanwhile, Keys has also improved her record against players from USA to 42-20.
