'My nerves really got the better of me': Madison Keys gets candid after US Open exit

The 2025 US Open began with one of its biggest surprises when Madison Keys, fresh off one of the best seasons of her career, fell in the opening round against the Mexican Renata Zarazua: 6-7[10-12], 7-6[7-3], 7-5. For the American, who lifted her first Grand Slam trophy earlier this year in Melbourne, the loss was not just disappointing but also revealing. In her press conference, Keys spoke with unusual candour about the invisible battles players face on the court, from nerves to burnout.

What stood out most was her honesty. Rather than brushing off the defeat, Keys admitted she was overwhelmed by the occasion. “I feel like today was the first time in a while where my nerves really got the better of me,” she confessed. The rawness of her words showed that even at the top of the game, mental struggles remain as real as physical ones.

Her reflections also pointed to a broader truth about tennis: success doesn’t erase pressure, it often multiplies it. Keys has been in stellar form throughout 2025, collecting wins and climbing the rankings, yet this very success has brought new expectations. As she put it, “I just couldn’t detach myself from the feeling that winning mattered way too much.”

This theme ran throughout the press conference. Keys wasn’t just analysing one bad day on court; she was peeling back the curtain on what it means to compete at the highest level, where momentum, confidence, and even habits forged months earlier can define how a player performs under the lights of a Grand Slam.

Struggling with nerves

Keys made it clear that her nerves didn’t suddenly appear during the match; they had been building up steadily. “The reality is it usually builds. You always kind of feel first-round jitters, and as the day is getting closer, you feel more and more nervous,” she explained. What made this occasion different was her inability to shake those feelings off.

Her description was strikingly human. “It became a little bit paralyzing,” she said. “I wasn’t seeing things the way I wanted to, which resulted in a lot of bad decisions and lazy footwork.” The blunt honesty resonated with anyone who has ever been weighed down by nerves when it mattered most.

While Keys was self-critical, she didn’t fail to give her opponent the credit she deserved. She described her rival as “a tricky player” who forced her into uncomfortable positions. “She made a ton of balls and reset the point a lot. Kudos to her for making me play so many shots,” Keys admitted.

This acknowledgment highlighted another truth of tennis: even when a favourite isn’t at their best, opponents still have to capitalise, and Keys’ adversary did exactly that.

The weight of expectations

For Keys, this loss was especially tough because of the contrast with her season’s achievements. “It’s hard, obviously. I’ve had a lot of success — probably won the most matches I’ve ever won in a year. But then losing today, especially the way I played, it kind of sucks,” she said.

Still, her broader perspective revealed gratitude. “If you told me at the beginning of the year what I was signing up for, I would obviously say yes. That’s allegedly the beauty of the sport.”

Looking back, looking ahead

Keys also reflected on why it’s harder to manage pressure later in the season. “At the start of the year, I had a great offseason. I built a really strong base, both physically and mentally. But as the year has gone on, there’s been so many matches and so little time to reset,” she explained. Without rest or training blocks, she said, “those are the times when your bad habits show up.”

In many ways, Keys’ press conference was less about one defeat and more about the human side of professional sport. It was a reminder that being a Grand Slam champion doesn’t mean being immune to pressure. As she summed up with a wry smile: “It sucks to lose, but if you’d told me at the beginning of the year how it would go, I’d take it. That’s the beauty — and sometimes the cruelty — of this sport.”

Match Statistics Keys vs. Zarazua