Keys Saves Match Points to Advance at Roland Garros

PARIS, France — Madison Keys came back from the brink of defeat on Saturday, saving three match points to overcome Sofia Kenin 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 at Roland Garros. The No. 7 seed will now face Hailey Baptiste in the fourth round.

Keys, the 2023 Australian Open champion, needed every ounce of fight after dropping the first set and falling behind 3-0 in the decisive third set. “It was obviously a really tough match,” she said afterwards. “I really just tried to dig deep.”

During the match, Keys saved four break points early in the second set, which gave her the momentum to level the match. However, Kenin responded by challenging Keys with her aggressive play, forcing the American into tense moments. “I needed some of my most hard-hitting shots to stay alive,” Keys noted.

In the end, Keys regained control of the match, breaking Kenin’s serve at 6-5 with a powerful return before sealing her victory with two aces, reaching match point after 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Baptiste, who defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-6(4), 6-1 earlier that day, has notched 14 match wins this year and is eager to face Keys again. Their rivalry began in 2019, where Baptiste secured an upset win over Keys. “I’m definitely looking to change the narrative,” Baptiste said.

This victory for Keys marks her fifth time reaching the Round of 16 in Paris, having previously been a semifinalist in 2018 and a quarterfinalist in 2019.

Overall, Pietra remains upbeat about their potential matchup, stating, “It’s another opportunity to show my progress this year.”