Madison Keys

Madison Keys: a big name from a very young age

Madison Keys made waves at a remarkably young age. The American tennis player is one of the youngest athletes ever to win a match on the WTA Tour. At just 14 years old, she beat the world No. 81 at the time, Alla Kudryavtseva, at her very first WTA tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach – the starting shot for a major career. Many more wins over top players, and titles too, would follow in the years that came. Keys, for instance, went on to reach the 2017 US Open final. In tennis-mad America, she's counted among the sport's biggest attractions from that day on, if not before.

Step by step to the top 10: Madison Keys's rise

At nine years old, young Madison Keys joined the famous Chris Evert Academy in Boca Raton. She won her first professional title in 2010, at the tender age of 15, on the ITF Women's World Tennis Tour. At the US Open that followed, she duly took part on a wildcard, but lost in the first round. Just a year later she did better, reaching the second round after an opening win. In the months that followed, Madison Keys established herself on the WTA Tour. She kept advancing further at the big tournaments and, with a win over Li Na, beat a top-ten player for the first time. Keys also finished the year among the world's top 50 and claimed her first WTA title in Eastbourne after beating Angelique Kerber in the final.

The final breakthrough, though, came a little later: at the start of 2015, under new coach Lindsay Davenport, Keys advanced all the way to the semi-final at the Australian Open. There she had to bow out against Serena Williams, but her mature performance left a lasting impression on the tennis world. After further encouraging runs at Wimbledon and the US Open, Keys finished the year among the world's top 20. With a total of six wins over top-ten players, she continued that trend the following year too – and would soon join the top ten herself. In 2017 she then reached her first Grand Slam final at the US Open, though she lost the all-American clash against Sloane Stephens.

Madison Keys trusts renowned outfitters

Madison Keys is regarded as an extremely powerful player who can generate huge pressure, especially with her forehand. It's no surprise, then, that the Illinois-born American feels completely at home, above all, on hard courts. Her unique style, marked by rapid shifts in playing rhythm, also makes her hard to read and often leaves opponents guessing. But the key to her success doesn't lie solely in her versatile repertoire – the right combination of equipment and accessories also plays a part in her consistent performances. When it comes to rackets, Madison Keys trusts the uniquely engineered, finely tuned Wilson tennis rackets. Also by her side: the comfortable, sporty-yet-elegant women's tennis clothing from Nike, which she also regularly shows off to her fans on Instagram. The American label also supplies her with Nike tennis shoes, which perfectly support her agile, quick movement around the court.