“I felt like if I never won a Grand Slam, then I wouldn’t have lived up to what people thought I should have been,” said Madison Keys after winning the Australian Open title back in January. Doubts had crept in after losing to Sloane Stephens in the 2017 US Open final, and let’s not forget she was up against the World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the AO 2025 final. It was as uphill a task as it could possibly be, but Keys defied the odds and finally seized her Grand Slam moment, seven years after that heartbreaking loss at the Flushing Meadows. Now, over a month after her triumph in Melbourne, the World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, whom Keys beat in the semifinals there, has shared her unfiltered thoughts on the American’s remarkable resurgence.

The 5-time GS winner Swiatek wasted no time making a statement in her Indian Wells title defense, crushing the French Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-0 in a dominant second-round display. The 2nd seed, still chasing her first title of 2025, showcased her return prowess, winning 58 percent of points on Garcia’s 1st serve and an overwhelming 75 percent on her second. 

As a former champion in both the 2022 and 2024 editions of the BNP Paribas Open, Swiatek now sets her sights on history: becoming the first woman to claim three Indian Wells glories, joining an elite list of legends who have conquered the ‘Southern California’ desert twice. However, despite her commanding performance at the center court, the Polish star couldn’t help but reflect on the heartbreak of her AO run. Addressing her early exit, she acknowledged Madison Keys as an ultimate candidate for the glory.

Speaking to the Tennis Channel after her match against Caroline Garcia, Swiatek said, “The Australian Open match, the semifinals was heartbreaking because I never lost a match from a match point. But Maddie totally deserves it. You know she went for the shots and she was‌ more brave. I would say in the important moments.”

However, what aspects of Maddie’s Australian Open victory warrant such historical significance that even a five-time GS champion offered commendation? Keys ignited her new season with a bang. After a QF stumble at the ASB Classic, the newly turned 30-year-old bounced back in electrifying fashion, storming through the Adelaide International unbeaten. But it was at Melbourne Park where she truly left her mark.

The American powerhouse bulldozed her way through the draw, dismantling players such as Danielle Collins, Elena Rybakina, and Elina Svitolina before pulling off a stunning SF comeback against Polish powerhouse Iga Swiatek. Down a set, she roared back to clinch a gritty 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(10-8) victory, proving once again why Madison is one of the most dangerous players on any WTA tour.

Her momentum didn’t stop there, though. Maddie carried the momentum in the final showdown, taking the top seed and the two-time defending champion, Aryna Sabalenka, down despite a lopsided 1-4 H2H record. In doing so, she etched her name in the history book of professional tennis, becoming just the third woman in the Open Era to win five ‘three-setters’ en route to a GS title.

It was a statement victory, cementing her resurgence and reintroducing her as a force to be reckoned with in the fresh new season. Now, with the BNP Paribas Open on the horizon, Keys is gearing up for yet another charge, and she has shared her mindset ahead of what promises to be another thrilling chapter in her remarkable season in the California desert.

“Wanted being a good person,” Madison Keys on her persona ahead of Indian Wells

Despite the euphoria of lifting her maiden GS at Down Under, the sweet road took an unexpected turn. Keys’s rankings boost made her ineligible for a previously scheduled WTA 250 in Austin, while a leg injury forced her to withdraw from the entire Middle East swing. However, the current 5th seed has always been about more than just trophies. While clinching a GS was a lifelong dream, she never wanted success to come at the cost of her character.

Talking to ESPN before her Indian Wells opening match, Keys added, “I’ve always wanted being a good person to be the lead about me. I always rebelled against the thought that nice people couldn’t be successful. I always hated that storyline. And I felt like, if winning a Grand Slam meant that I had to change who I was as a person and somehow become meaner or not as nice, then it wasn’t really worth it to me, because I don’t want to change who I am just to have some sort of achievement that, let’s be real, in five years, no one’s going to care,”

As the American gears up for a long-awaited rematch against Anastasia Potapova, four years in the making, she is ready to put on another show on a newly changed desert turf. Their head-to-head stands at 1-1, with Keys winning their first battle at the 2019 AO and the Russian getting her revenge in Dubai. If the American prevails, she could set up a clash with either 28th seed Elise Mertens or qualifier Kimberly Birrell.

But the road only gets tougher from there, with a possible 4th showdown against 10th seed Emma Navarro and potentially a blockbuster quarterfinal against third seed Coco Gauff if she gets there. Can Keys lift the trophy at the Indian Wells? What do you think?