Coco Gauff reveals a personal thing about Madison Keys that served as the "biggest change" amid her success
Coco Gauff has disclosed the one thing she noticed in Madison Keys even before she clinched her first Grand Slam in January. The American insisted that Keys’ “biggest change” before her success was personal instead of technical.
Keys staged a run for the ages during the 2025 Australian summer. After starting the season with a quarterfinal exit at the WTA 250 ASB Classic, she raced to victory at the WTA 500 in Adelaide and hasn’t looked back since.
Madison Keys finally got her hands on her first Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open after a staggering four quarterfinals, five semifinals, and a final at the 2017 US Open. The American, who is presently competing at Indian Wells, is on a 15-match winning streak for the season.
Coco Gauff, who bowed out of the WTA 1000 event with a fourth-round defeat, has had the privilege of closely observing Keys' ascent. During one of her press conferences at Indian Wells, the American claimed that her older compatriot has exuded "happiness" of late.
"It's good to see, like, she get a slam and she deserved it. She just looks a lot happier lately."
Gauff opined that Keys’ personal contentment has played a significant role in her recent success.
"I think that was kind of the biggest change more than anything technically in her game. I think she just gives more positive -- not that she's ever negative, but I feel like I can feel energy off of people, and when I'm around her, she seems a bit happier."
Just a couple of months before her Melbourne glory, Madison Keys married her longtime partner-turned-coach Bjorn Fratangelo. After winning the title, she revealed how her mindset had changed in recent months, noting that she had finally reached a point in her career where she was proud of herself "with or without a Grand Slam."
"Even before winning Australia, to me she felt like she was happier around the locker room and things like that," Coco Gauff said about Keys.
"I usually feel when players are in that mindset they tend to do better. So it's good to see her, like, win and also be kind of happy while doing it," she added.
Keys recently shared how she was delighted to have busted a false perception about success. The American said she was initially disconcerted by the idea that she had to become “meaner” and “not as nice” in order to become successful. Winning the Australian Open while staying true to herself was thus “more special” to her than the title itself.
Coco Gauff on Madison Keys: "I wasn't surprised by her winning"
During the aforementioned press conference, Coco Gauff said that she was hardly surprised by Madison Keys’ run to the title. The American beat high-profile opponents en route, such as Danielle Collins, Elina Svitolina, Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Aryna Sabalenka.
"I wasn't surprised by her winning. I think she's one of those players you play and she's just so good and she has the capability of beating anyone on any given day, and she certainly proved that in the past and certainly proved that in Australia," Gauff said.
Gauff said she was pleased to see Keys lift a trophy “she deserves.”
"It's great to see her finding her -- I don't even want to say finding her game, because she's been playing great tennis for so long, but I guess finally having the trophy that she deserves with the level of her game, she definitely has one of the highest levels on tour."
While Coco Gauff crashed out of Indian Wells with a loss to Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys has marched on to the quarterfinals with wins against Anastasia Potapova, Elise Mertens, and Donna Vekic. She faces Bencic for a spot in the semifinals.