Slam title? Check! Vacation? Double check! Madison Keys absolutely crushed it against Aryna Sabalenka in Australia. But, reality check, it’s back to practice now. After a month off, Indian Wells is calling, and honestly, it sounds like she’s still holding onto that vacation vibe.

In an Instagram story on Thursday, Keys reflected on how she’s spending her vacation time. So what do you do? Practice, practice! Seems like Keys is back at it, too. It becomes evident from the clip shared by Keys.

“How is your vacation going?”, she wrote. Answering her own question, she then replied “The vacation:” where she showed herself engaging in intense training sessions. At one point, she’s hitting powerful shots and then she can be seen working out to prepare herself for the upcoming BNP Paribas Open.

During the training, her newly introduced customized kitbag can also be spotted. The Yonex bag now features her name as an Australian Open champion, commemorating the famous win at Rod Laver Arena last month. If you look closely, you can see “Madi” written above the brand logo. Oh, and there’s also a kangaroo logo on the side. Now that’s called a special treatment, isn’t it?

Keys was about to step back sooner on the court following her AO triumph. Sadly, she had to pull her name from the Middle East swing in February. Due to a leg injury, she withdrew from the Qatar Open and the Dubai Tennis Championships. However, she’s ready to swing her racket once again with the Indian Wells in March.

She will look to improve her performance at the BNP Paribas Open this time. Speaking of her recent appearance, she hasn’t left a solid impression. Last season, she couldn’t move past the second round. Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva eliminated her with a score line of 6-4, 6-1.

Well, everything apart, her Melbourne run has got her a deserving leap in the WTA rankings!

Australian Open glory pushes Madison Keys to career-best ranking

Madison Keys‘ journey to climbing crucial steps in the WTA rankings began earlier this season itself during the Adelaide International. She went on to win the title after defeating compatriot Jessica Pegula 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. But then came the golden run in Melbourne.

On her way to clinching the first major trophy, she beat the likes of compatriot Danielle Collins, Elena Rybakina, and Elina Svitolina. Not only that, she also ousted former World No.1 Iga Swiatek in the semis before taking down Sabalenka in the championship battle. After the rankings list was updated on Monday, Keys received a big boost.

Climbing one position, she’s now sitting at the 5th spot. It’s her best accomplishment in the WTA rankings so far. Plus, she’s also the 20th American player to reach top 5 since the official rankings began in 1975. And you know what’s the icing on the cake, here?

Keys is also accompanied by her two compatriots, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, in the top 5. They are No.3 and No.4 respectively. It’s the first time in over twenty years that three American women are placed in the top 5. Back in 2003, tennis icons Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, and Jennifer Capriati were ranked No.3, No.4, and No.5 respectively.

Will Keys make a brilliant comeback in the Sunshine Double? Only time will tell.