Madison Keys, competing in her 15th U.S. Open, secured a straight-sets victory over unseeded Alina Korneeva on Tuesday. This win follows her first-round exit in the previous year's tournament, where she recorded 89 unforced errors. Keys, who is currently ranked No. 22, reflected on the challenges of returning to the site of her past defeat, stating, "it’s always hard to come back to a place where you last played and it was a tough loss."
Keys, 31, first entered the U.S. Open in 2011 at the age of 16 and has since reached the finals in 2017 and won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2025. Despite her struggles last year, she has shown resilience, making it to the Round of 16 in the other Grand Slam tournaments of 2026 and winning the Eastbourne Open.
The landscape of women's tennis has evolved since Keys began her career, with new players like Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula emerging as prominent figures. Keys acknowledged the significance of her long career in professional tennis, stating, "it’s been a huge blessing I started so young," and noted her personal growth throughout her time in the sport. She aims to continue her quest for a U.S. Open title, which will require six more wins over the next two weeks.