Madison Keys will play for bronze medal after losing to Angelique Kerber
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RIO DE JANEIRO — Moments after dumping a backhand into the net on match point Friday night, Madison Keys could contain her exasperation no longer.
The 21-year-old American removed a ball from her pocket and slammed it as hard as she could into the upper level of the Olympic Tennis Center.
A 6-3, 7-5 semifinal loss to second-seeded Angelique Kerber was galling for Keys because she felt the match was winnable. Keys squandered all 10 break points she generated, costing her the chance to play for gold Saturday and instead dooming her to the bronze medal match against the Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova.
“It’s frustrating when you get 10 break points and you don’t convert one,” Keys said.
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Keys’ performance against Kerber epitomized her tantalizing professional career to this point. There were moments in which she displayed the explosive power, shot making and competitive mettle of a future Grand Slam champion. There were also moments in which her ill-advised decisions and lack of consistency demonstrated why she hasn’t advanced past the Round of 16 at the Australian Open, French Open or Wimbledon so far this year.
Facing an elite player renowned for her ability to extend points with her quickness, Keys had trouble putting away Kerber early in points or matching her opponent’s consistency during long rallies. Her 41 unforced errors were more than five times as many as Kerber’s eight, and none were more critical than the flurry of mistakes that cost the American three break-point chances at 4-4 in the second set.
While Keys has ascended to No. 9 in the world this summer by reaching the finals in Rome, Birmingham and Montreal, she knows there is still room for growth. No longer does she go for winners 10 feet beyond the baseline, yet she still is figuring out the right time to go for broke and the right time to pull back.
“I think that’s the struggle anyone who has a powerful game and is an aggressive player has to deal with,” Keys said. “I think I’ve gotten better at it and more comfortable with it, but it just comes with time.”
It’s disappointing for Keys not to be playing for a gold medal Saturday, but she sounded genuinely enthusiastic about vying for bronze. The only time Keys played Kvitova this year, she beat her in straight sets in the second round at Rome.
“[A bronze medal] would mean everything to me,” Keys said. “You can walk away from this tournament and still be on a high.”
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