Madison Keys Says She Attends Therapy to Prevent Tennis from Becoming an Obsession

Madison Keys has openly revealed that she doesn’t want to be obsessed with tennis as she aims to have a life outside of the court. The Australian Open champion hinted at the benefits of therapy, just weeks after Alexander Zverev’s heartbreaking statement following his exit from the Wimbledon Championship.

Mental health has always been a major topic in tennis. The likes of Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic have always been open about the mental strain of the sport. The topic became the center of the discussion once again at the Wimbledon Championships 2025. It happened after Zverev suffered a disappointing five-set loss in the first round.

The former World No.2 revealed that he felt lonely, empty, and no longer enjoyed playing on the court. The German had struggled on the court since finishing as runners-up at the Australian Open. It was the third time in his career that he reached a Grand Slam final without winning the title.

Keys, who is currently ranked World No.8 and is 30 years old, claimed her first Grand Slam title in January after beating Aryna Sabalenka in three sets in the final. She has not won a title since and has also not reached a final. However, she has done enough to remain in the top 10 of the WTA rankings.

During an interview with Tennis Channel, she delved into Zverev’s statement after Wimbledon, stressing that focusing only on tennis has not been good for her. She then added that she had sought help by going to therapy:

For me, being so focused on tennis didn’t help me as much as I needed. I think seeking help and analyzing my life in general, and how that influenced how I felt on the court, probably made the biggest difference. Also, I have always tried to have a life outside of tennis, which has helped me a lot on the court. You are not just a tennis player. You are a complete person with all these other excellent qualities, other interests, and different aspects of your life.

Keys finished her grass-court season without winning any titles. The Australian Open Champion reached the semi-finals of the Queen’s Club Championships before losing to Tatjana Maria in straight sets. She then lost to eventual champion Marketa Vondrousova in the second round of the Berlin Tennis Open.

Madison Keys reveals how she builds her confidence before playing a tour-level match

Madison Keys has had her own struggles on the court. She first reached a Grand Slam final at the 2017 US Open but lost to Sloane Stephens in the final. The 30-year-old had to wait for over seven years to claim her first Grand Slam. The experience has shaped her work ethic on and off the court.