By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday January 28, 2025
Madison Keys needed to let go of her hopes and goals to realize them.
Additionally Learn: Keys Wins Maiden Major | 25 Thoughts on AO 25 | Social Media Reacts to Keys Title
After finishing her dramatic run to her maiden main title over the weekend in Melbourne, the American talked concerning the troublesome technique of coping with expectations and making sense of her personal emotions with regard to her profession.
Keys, who edged World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s closing, made a number of modifications to her sport, most notably her serve, and also changed racquets and strings in the off-season.
However she additionally noticed a therapist, and she or he says that it was one of many issues that helped her really unlock her greatest self.
“I lastly bought to the purpose the place I used to be personally low sufficient that I used to be like, I do not actually care if this helps me carry out, I simply need to really feel higher,” Keys stated of her remedy classes, which weren’t actually sport-specific.
Keys stated the remedy helped result in a lightbulb second that allowed her to handle her nerves higher than ever earlier than.
“For no matter cause, it was form of similar to this mild bulb second the place I began actually shopping for into, I could be nervous and I can nonetheless play good tennis. These issues can reside collectively,” she stated. “So I finished combating, making an attempt to push away the sentiments and pretending that they don’t seem to be there and simply accepting them and actually telling myself that they are advantageous they usually’re completely regular to be there, and I can nonetheless play tennis.”
Greater than something, Keys made strides in her personal thoughts, and eventually accepted her profession for what it was. There wasn’t a Grand Slam title on her resume, however did it actually matter? She determined that her profession was distinctive, with a Slam or with out..
“I feel the whole lot form of occurs for a cause,” she stated. “I feel for me particularly, I form of needed to undergo some powerful issues. I feel it simply form of compelled me to have a look at myself within the mirror slightly bit and attempt to work on [dealing with] inner strain that I used to be placing on myself.
“From a reasonably younger age, I felt like if I by no means gained a Grand Slam, then I would not have lived as much as what folks thought I ought to have been. That was a reasonably heavy burden to form of carry round. So I lastly bought to the purpose the place I used to be pleased with myself and pleased with my profession, with or with out a Grand Slam. I lastly bought to the purpose the place I used to be okay if it did not occur. I did not want it to really feel like I had a superb profession or that I deserved to be talked about as a terrific tennis participant.
“I really feel like lastly letting go of that form of inner discuss that I had simply gave me the flexibility to truly exit and play some actually good tennis to truly win a Grand Slam.”
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