INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Australian Open champion Madison Keys believes American ladies are nicely positioned to finish a 24-year title drought at Indian Wells when the match’s foremost draw begins on Wednesday within the California desert.
Three American ladies are on the earth’s high 5 — No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 4 Jessica Pegula and No. 5 Keys, who triumphed at Melbourne Park in January for her first Grand Slam title.
“I believe it is most likely been a short time since there have been so many American ladies doing in addition to they’re,” Keys advised reporters on Tuesday. “I am actually excited. I believe not solely are there the names that everybody clearly is aware of and are a bit bit extra established, however there’s additionally a ton of up-and-comers which are doing actually, rather well.
“I might not be shocked for those who noticed some actually nice outcomes from the U.S. ladies.”
No American lady has lifted the trophy in Indian Wells since Serena Williams in 2001.
New Yorker Emma Navarro comes into the WTA 1000 match with a ton of momentum after profitable the Merida Open in Mexico, the place she crushed Emiliana Arango 6-0, 6-0 within the last to assert her first 500-level match crown.
Amanda Anisimova, who took a break from the game to prioritize her psychological well being in 2023 and is now taking part in a few of the finest tennis of her life, received February’s Qatar Open to crack the highest 20 for the primary time.
The Individuals will all look to cease Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the defending champion who’s seeking to turn into the primary lady to triumph right here thrice, and big-serving world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.
Keys, a 30-year-old tour veteran who turned skilled on her 14th birthday, stated the sturdy sense of camaraderie among the many U.S. ladies gamers is nothing new.
“It is only a actually nice group of girls that I’ve grown up with which have continued to encourage and push and help one another,” she stated. “Once we see one another do nicely, we’re not solely extraordinarily excited for them, however we’re all being cheerleaders for one another.
“I believe it simply helps push all of us to proceed to have some actually good success.”