In a thrilling display at Indian Wells, Madison Keys, the current Australian Open champion, demonstrated her tenacity and resilience. Despite trailing for most of the initial two sets to Donna Vekic, Keys managed to stage a remarkable comeback, keeping her winning streak intact with 15 consecutive victories. The tense match, which saw Keys bounce back from a set down, ended with a final score of 4-6 7-6 (7) 6-3 in favor of Keys in the tournament’s round-of-16.
The first set was a tense back-and-forth affair. Keys missed several opportunities, failing to capitalize on three break points in the second game and another in the fourth. The punishment for these missed opportunities landed swiftly as Vekic, the 19th seed from Croatia, broke first in the fifth game.
Keys recovered, securing a break back in the eighth game, but her success was short-lived. Vekic broke Keys’ serve again in the subsequent game, taking a 5-4 lead before serving out for the first set in the tenth game. At this point, Keys was at the brink of an early exit from Indian Wells.
The second set was no less dramatic. The only break point in the set coincided with a set point — and Keys, the American fifth seed, was leading 5-4 at the time. However, she was unable to seize the moment, and the set had to be decided by a tie-break. Vekic seemed to be on the verge of victory with a 5-3 lead and was just two points away from a two-set win. But Keys dug deep, eventually clinching the second set on her fourth set point.
This hard-fought victory in the second set seemed to be the turning point for Keys. As is often the case in tennis, such a win can completely shift the balance of the match. Keys capitalized on this, starting the third set with a break in the first game. She then secured another break in the seventh game, leading 5-2. Although she couldn’t serve out for the match in the eighth game, Keys wrapped up the match in the next game with her third break of the set.
Now, the next challenge for Keys lies ahead in the form of Belinda Bencic, who recently triumphed over Coco Gauff. This riveting comeback at Indian Wells stands as a testament to Keys’ tenacity and winning spirit. With her 15-match winning streak still unbroken, all eyes will be on Keys as she takes on her next opponent.
