Career Timeline of Madison Keys: Major Achievements and Milestones

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Madison Keys

How Madison Keys built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Madison Keys is an American professional tennis player who has achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 5. She has won ten WTA Tour-level singles titles, most notably the 2025 Australian Open where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka. Keys also reached the final of the 2017 US Open.

1979: All-American Semifinal at US Open

In 2017, four Americans made the semifinals at the US Open, which was the first occurrence since 1979.

1985: Americans in Wimbledon Semifinals

In 2017, four Americans made the semifinals at a major for the first time since Wimbledon in 1985.

1994: Youngest Player Since Martina Hingis

In February 2009, Madison Keys became the youngest player to win a WTA Tour-level match since Martina Hingis did so in 1994.

1998: Last US Open Champion

In 2017, Madison Keys bid to become the first American US Open champion other than the Williams sisters since Lindsay Davenport in 1998, but lost in the final to Sloane Stephens.

1999: American Woman in Top 10

In 2016, Madison Keys became the first American woman to move into the top ten since Serena Williams in 1999.

2002: All-American Semifinal at French Open

In 2018, Madison Keys reached the semifinals of the French Open, which was the first all-American semifinal at the French Open since 2002.

2005: Top 10 Ranking

In 2016, Madison Keys finished the year ranked No. 8 in the world, becoming the first American other than the Williams sisters to finish a year with a top-10 ranking since Lindsay Davenport in 2005.

2005: Major Tournament Final

In 2017, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens became the first Americans other than the Williams sisters to reach a women's major tournament final since Keys's coach Lindsay Davenport in 2005.

2005: First Player To Win A Major After Defeating Both the World No. 1 Since Serena Williams in 2005

Madison Keys defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to win her first major title. Keys was the first player to win a major after defeating both the world No. 1 and world No. 2 at the Australian Open since Serena Williams in 2005.

2006: Youngest American Titlist

In the grass-court season of 2014, Madison Keys won her first career title at the Eastbourne International, making her the youngest American titlist since Vania King in 2006.

2007: Girls 12s Matches

In 2007, at 12 years old, Madison Keys went 19–0 in her girls 12s matches, including a victory at the 12-and-under Junior Orange Bowl.

2009: WTA Tour Debut

In February 2009, Madison Keys turned professional on her 14th birthday and made her WTA Tour debut a few months later at the Ponte Vedra Beach Championships, defeating Alla Kudryavtseva.

2009: Copa del Café Title

In January 2009, Madison Keys won the Copa del Café, a Grade 1 tournament in Costa Rica, becoming the first American winner of the girls' event in its 26-year history.

2009: Teenage Titlist

In the grass-court season of 2014, Madison Keys became the first teenage titlist since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009.

2009: First Player To Win A Major After Defeating Both the World No. 1 Since Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2009

Madison Keys defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to win her first major title. Keys was the first player to win a major after defeating both the world No. 1 and world No. 2 at the Australian Open since Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2009.

2011: Pro Tour Full-Time

After the 2011 US Open, Madison Keys moved to the pro tour full-time and was ranked No. 16 in the ITF junior rankings.

2011: Keys Switched Coaches to Adam Peterson

In 2011, after six years at the Evert Tennis Academy, Madison Keys switched coaches to Adam Peterson, who was assigned to work with her through the USTA (United States Tennis Association).

2011: Miami Open and US Open Debut

In March 2011, Madison Keys was awarded a wild card into the Miami Open. Several months later, Keys won an invitational playoff to earn a wild card spot in the main draw of the US Open where she became the youngest match winner at the event in six years.

2012: Keys had the second-fastest average forehand and backhand speeds of all players

From 2012 to 2016, data showed that Madison Keys had the second-fastest average forehand and backhand speeds of all players at the Australian Open.

2012: Australian Open Appearance

In 2012, Madison Keys competed at the Australian Open but was unable to get past the first round.

2013: WTA Top 100 Entry

In 2013, Madison Keys reached the quarterfinals of a WTA event for the first time at the Sydney International and entered the top 100 of the WTA rankings at No. 81 a month before turning 18.

2014: Earliest Exit from US Open Since 2014

In 2014, Madison Keys had her earliest exit from the US Open. After winning her first two matches in straight sets, she was forced to retire in the third round due to a neck injury, snapping a streak of five consecutive runs to the second week.

2014: First Victory Over Halep

In 2014, Madison Keys had her first ever meeting with Simona Halep at the Sydney International, winning after previously being on verge of demolishing Halep at 6–1, 5–0.

2014: Walkover in French Open

In 2014, Madison Keys received a walkover in the second round of the French Open, but it did not officially count as a win.

2014: Keys had the fastest average groundstroke speed at French Open

In 2014, Madison Keys recorded the fastest average groundstroke speed of any player at the French Open, reaching 78.9 miles per hour (127.0 km/h).

2014: Keys' Serve Speed Reached 126 mph

In 2014, Madison Keys was clocked serving at up to 126 miles per hour (203 km/h) on the road to her first WTA Tour title. However, the serve speed wasn't officially recorded.

2014: First Ever WTA Title

In 2014, Madison Keys' first victory over Angelique Kerber came in the final of the Eastbourne International, giving Keys her first ever WTA title.

2015: Davenport and Leach Joined Keys's Coaching Team

Before the start of the 2015 season, Lindsay Davenport and her husband Jon Leach joined Madison Keys's coaching team. Keys also worked with Lisa Raymond during this year. However, she left all three at the end of the year.

2015: Final of the 2015 Charleston Open

In 2015, Madison Keys lost to Angelique Kerber in the final of the Charleston Open.

2015: Keys Wins Against Venus

In 2015, Madison Keys won against Venus Williams in their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open, overcoming a lower back injury in the second set.

2015: Keys' serve was the fifth fastest at US Open

In 2015, Madison Keys' serve was recorded at 124 miles per hour (200 km/h) at the US Open, ranking as the fifth fastest serve that year.

2015: Australian Open Semifinals

In early 2015, Madison Keys had her first breakthrough at a major, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open.

2016: Keys had the second-fastest average forehand and backhand speeds of all players

From 2012 to 2016, data showed that Madison Keys had the second-fastest average forehand and backhand speeds of all players at the Australian Open.

2016: Ambassador for Fearlessly Girl

In 2016, Madison Keys became an ambassador for Fearlessly Girl and co-hosted the first summit for the group in her hometown.

2016: Keys Hired and Replaced Coaches

In 2016, Madison Keys hired Jesse Levine as her coach. She briefly worked with Mats Wilander for about a week, and then replaced Levine with Thomas Högstedt. Keys split with Högstedt after a successful second half of the year due to a "personality conflict."

2016: Lost Five Matches Against Halep

In 2016, Madison Keys lost her next five matches against Simona Halep, including the fourth round at Wimbledon and the final of the Canadian Open.

2016: Semifinals at the 2016 Rio Olympics

In 2016, Madison Keys lost to Angelique Kerber in the semifinals at the Rio Olympics, finishing in fourth place.

2016: First match against Osaka at US Open

In 2016, Madison Keys played her first match against Naomi Osaka at the US Open. Keys, with more experience, overcame a 1-5 deficit in the third set to win and advance to the fourth round.

2016: Keys finished third in percentage of points won on serve

In 2016, Madison Keys ranked third in percentage of points won on serve, only behind Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka. During the same year, she hit 300 aces, placing her third overall.

2016: Keys Wins Against Venus

In 2016, Madison Keys won against Venus Williams at the Canadian Open.

2016: Semifinals of Italian Open

In 2016, Madison Keys won in straight sets their most important meeting at semifinals of premier 5 tournament at Italian Open.

2016: Highest Finish Since 2016

In 2022, Madison Keys finished the year ranked No. 11, her highest finish since 2016.

2016: Last Reached This Level At This Tournament

Madison Keys reached her second straight quarterfinal at the 2024 Italian Open. She last reached this level at this tournament in 2016.

2017: Keys Reunited With Davenport, Worked With Kindlmann, Reached US Open Final

At the beginning of 2017, Madison Keys reunited with Lindsay Davenport as her coach. Midway through the year, she also started working with Dieter Kindlmann. Davenport helped Keys reach her first major final at the US Open later in the year.

2017: CoCo Vandeweghe Top 10 Debut

In 2017, CoCo Vandeweghe had her top ten debut.

2017: US Open Final Against Stephens

In 2017, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens met in the US Open final, where Stephens won in straight sets.

2017: Fastest Match So Far

In 2017, Madison Keys had another semifinal win at Bank of the West Classic, which was their fastest match so far, as Keys lost only five games against Muguruza who was playing her first tournament since winning Wimbledon.

2017: Launch of Wilson Ultra Tour Model

In 2017, Madison Keys helped launch the Wilson Ultra line of rackets and specifically used the Ultra Tour model.

2017: US Open Final

In 2017, Madison Keys reached the US Open final, losing to Sloane Stephens.

2017: Keys won against Osaka at BNP Paribas Open

In 2017, Madison Keys won against Naomi Osaka in straight sets at the BNP Paribas Open, continuing her dominance in their head-to-head matchups at that time.

2017: Keys' Forehand Praised

In 2017, Madison Keys' playing style was described, noting her strong serve and powerful groundstrokes, especially her forehand. Former world No. 1 Karolína Plíšková and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens both said that Keys had the best forehand in the game.

2017: First Semifinalist To Do So Since Venus Williams

Madison Keys upset world No. 2 Iga Świątek in three sets, coming from a set down (the first semifinalist to do so since Venus Williams in 2017) and a match point down to reach the second major final of her career.

May 2018: Keys Ended Partnership With Dieter Kindlmann

In May 2018, Madison Keys ended her partnership with Dieter Kindlmann, having worked together for about a year. She briefly worked with David Taylor starting in June.

June 2018: Return to Top 10

In August 2019, Madison Keys won the Cincinnati Open, returning to the top 10 for the first time since June 2018.

2018: Semifinals of the French Open Against Stephens

In 2018, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens met in the semifinals of the French Open, where Stephens won in straight sets.

2018: Keys won against Osaka at French Open; Osaka won at US Open

In 2018, Madison Keys defeated Naomi Osaka at the French Open. However, later in 2018, Osaka defeated Keys in the US Open semifinal, marking Osaka's first win against Keys.

2018: Come-From-Behind Win Against Kerber

In 2018, Madison Keys snapped her five-match losing streak to Angelique Kerber with a come-from-behind three-set win in the third round of the Cincinnati Open.

2018: Sloane Stephens Top 10 Debut

In 2018, Sloane Stephens had her top ten debut.

2018: Fifth Career Major Semifinal Since the 2018 US Open

In 2022, Madison Keys reached her fifth career major semifinal, her first since the 2018 US Open, rising back inside the top 30.

August 2019: First Return to the Top Ten Since August 2019

After success at the United Cup, in 2023 Madison Keys went back to world No. 10 in the rankings, marking her first return to the top ten since August 2019.

August 2019: First Title Since August 2019

In August 2019, Madison Keys won her first title since then at the 2022 Adelaide International 2.

2019: Premier 5 Title

In 2019, Madison Keys ended her losing streak to Simona Halep in the third round of the Cincinnati Open, winning en route to winning her first Premier 5 title.

2019: First WTA 1000 Quarterfinal Since 2019 Cincinnati Title

In 2019, Madison Keys reached her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal since her Cincinnati title, defeating Misaki Doi, Alison Riske, and Harriet Dart at Indian Wells.

2019: First Victory Against Stephens

In 2019, Madison Keys recorded her first victory against Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals at the Volvo Car Open.

2019: Keys Won First Clay Court Title

In 2019, Madison Keys went back to her former coach Juan Todero and won her first clay court title in their first tournament since his return.

2019: Keys Wins Against Venus

In 2019, Madison Keys won against Venus Williams at the Cincinnati Open.

2019: Keys won at Charleston Open

In 2019, Madison Keys won one title on clay at the Charleston Open, demonstrating her ability to succeed on different surfaces despite preferring hardcourts.

February 2020: Relaunched Fearlessly Girl into Kindness Wins

In February 2020, Madison Keys relaunched Fearlessly Girl into a nonprofit organization called Kindness Wins, focusing on kindness to self, youth, and others in times of struggle.

2020: Australian Open Champion

In 2022, Madison Keys defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin at the Australian Open.

August 2021: Rose Back Inside the Top 30 Since August 2021

In 2022, Madison Keys rose back inside the top 30 for the first time since August 2021 after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open.

January 2022: Keys Coached by Georgi Rumenov Payakov

Since January 2022, Madison Keys has been coached by Georgi Rumenov Payakov, a former ATP professional tennis player.

June 6, 2022: Top 100 in Doubles at World No. 98

On June 6, 2022, Madison Keys reached the top 100 in doubles at world No. 98, after reaching the semifinals of the French Open in doubles.

2022: Semifinals at the Australian Open

In 2022, Madison Keys reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, defeating Sofia Kenin, Paula Badosa, and Barbora Krejčíková along the way. She lost to Ashleigh Barty in the semifinals.

2022: First Major Semifinal Since the 2022 Australian Open

Madison Keys reached her first major semifinal since the 2022 Australian Open at the US Open, defeating Jessica Pegula and Marketa Vondrousova.

June 2023: Keys Coached by Bjorn Fratangelo

As of June 2023, Madison Keys is coached by her then-fiancé (now husband) and former professional tennis player, Bjorn Fratangelo.

2024: Racket Sponsor Change

In 2024, Madison Keys ended her sponsorship with Wilson, who had been her racket sponsor.

2025: Switched to Yonex Ezone

In 2025 at the Australian Open, Madison Keys switched her racket model to Yonex Ezone, with which she won the first major title in her career.

Yonex EZONE 98 Gen8 Tennis Racquet (3/8)
Yonex EZONE 98 Gen8 Tennis Racquet (3/8)

2025: Australian Open Win

In 2025, Madison Keys won her first major title at the Australian Open, defeating Iga Świątek and Aryna Sabalenka.