‘Leave me alone’ – Madison Keys slaps Australian Open ban on Frances Tiafoe
Madison Keys has resorted to extreme lengths to continue her fine run at the Australian Open. The American booked her place in the semi-finals in Melbourne for a third time with battling three-set victory over Elina Svitolina, winning 3-6 6-3 6-4. GettyMadison Keys is bidding to make the second Grand Slam final of her career[/caption] With Keys now set for her first appearance in the final four of a Grand Slam since the 2023 US Open, she would no doubt have received plenty of congratulatory messages after leaving the Rod Laver Arena. But there would have been one notable absentee from the number 19 seed’s phone screen in the aftermath of her latest win. Though Keys counts fellow US tennis star Frances Tiafoe as a close friend, there will be radio silence between the pair until her time at the tournament comes to an end. The 29-year-old revealed that she has imposed a text ban on her compatriot, because his messages have brought her bad luck in the past. Following her victory over Svitolina, Keys was asked if she had been in contact with Tiafoe during her Australian Open campaign. To this, she replied: “No, I probably won’t text him. “We have this kind of joke where in the past he wouldn’t say anything pre-tournament or anything, and then he would text me, like, in the quarters or the semis or something, and I would lose the next round. “So we have this new rule. Like I saw him a few days ago, and I said: ‘Don’t text me, I don’t want to hear from you at all, just leave me alone and we’ll talk after the tournament’.” And while the lack of communication looks to have served Keys well so far, the same cannot be said for Tiafoe. The number 17 seed was dumped out of the men’s draw in just the second round, losing in five-sets to the unseeded Fabian Maroszan after battling sickness to win his opening match. AFPTiafoe was unable to build on his 2024 US Open semi-final appearance in Australia[/caption] GettyIga Swiatek defeated Keys’ compatriot Emma Navarro to set up a semi-final clash[/caption] Tiafoe will now be cheering on Keys in silence, who faces world number 2 and reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek in her semi-final encounter. Despite being the clear underdog, the American heads into the clash in red-hot form. Keys is on a 10-match winning streak after winning the Adelaide Open the week before the Australian Open, and has recorded victories over higher-ranked opponents twice already in Melbourne. She triumphed over number 10 seed and compatriot Danielle Collins in the third round, before knocking out 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in three sets in her following match. The Illinois native is now bidding to reach her second Grand Slam final, with her last appearance coming at the 2017 US Open. Speaking after her quarter-final victory, Keys said: “It feels great. GettyKeys is into her seventh Grand Slam semi-final[/caption] “I’m really, really proud of myself to be in another semifinal here and kind of hoping and looking forward to see if I can make it one step further. “I think now that I’ve been in this position a few times, I can definitely try to lean in on that. “At this point, I mean, everyone has also won some really great matches, and we’re all playing some really good tennis. This is really what they call the business end of the tournament.”
Madison Keys has resorted to extreme lengths to continue her fine run at the Australian Open.
The American booked her place in the semi-finals in Melbourne for a third time with battling three-set victory over Elina Svitolina, winning 3-6 6-3 6-4.
With Keys now set for her first appearance in the final four of a Grand Slam since the 2023 US Open, she would no doubt have received plenty of congratulatory messages after leaving the Rod Laver Arena.
But there would have been one notable absentee from the number 19 seed’s phone screen in the aftermath of her latest win.
Though Keys counts fellow US tennis star Frances Tiafoe as a close friend, there will be radio silence between the pair until her time at the tournament comes to an end.
The 29-year-old revealed that she has imposed a text ban on her compatriot, because his messages have brought her bad luck in the past.
Following her victory over Svitolina, Keys was asked if she had been in contact with Tiafoe during her Australian Open campaign.
To this, she replied: “No, I probably won’t text him.
“We have this kind of joke where in the past he wouldn’t say anything pre-tournament or anything, and then he would text me, like, in the quarters or the semis or something, and I would lose the next round.
“So we have this new rule. Like I saw him a few days ago, and I said: ‘Don’t text me, I don’t want to hear from you at all, just leave me alone and we’ll talk after the tournament’.”
And while the lack of communication looks to have served Keys well so far, the same cannot be said for Tiafoe.
The number 17 seed was dumped out of the men’s draw in just the second round, losing in five-sets to the unseeded Fabian Maroszan after battling sickness to win his opening match.
Tiafoe will now be cheering on Keys in silence, who faces world number 2 and reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek in her semi-final encounter.
Despite being the clear underdog, the American heads into the clash in red-hot form.
Keys is on a 10-match winning streak after winning the Adelaide Open the week before the Australian Open, and has recorded victories over higher-ranked opponents twice already in Melbourne.
She triumphed over number 10 seed and compatriot Danielle Collins in the third round, before knocking out 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in three sets in her following match.
The Illinois native is now bidding to reach her second Grand Slam final, with her last appearance coming at the 2017 US Open.
Speaking after her quarter-final victory, Keys said: “It feels great.
“I’m really, really proud of myself to be in another semifinal here and kind of hoping and looking forward to see if I can make it one step further.
“I think now that I’ve been in this position a few times, I can definitely try to lean in on that.
“At this point, I mean, everyone has also won some really great matches, and we’re all playing some really good tennis. This is really what they call the business end of the tournament.”
