“She’ll Never Not Go Down Without Swinging”: Serena Williams Coach Hails Madison Keys’ US Open Comeback

Madison Keys produced one of the most dramatic escapes of this year’s US Open, and Serena Williams’ coach Rennae Stubbs and ESPN commentator was quick to salute it. Down 5-7, 6-4, 2-5 to world No. 73 Anna Bondar, Keys faced five separate match points across two different games before completing a stunning turnaround.

“Say what you want about Madison Keys but that was a hell of a fight and she’ll never not go down without swinging!!!” she wrote. “Just balling from 3-5 down in the 3rd set. Never stopped ripping FHs in the TB! Great win! Could this be the match that turns this year around for her at slams!”

The first lifeline came when Bondar, serving for the match at 5-2, went up 40-15 before hitting back-to-back double faults, allowing Keys to break back to 5-3. Serving to stay alive at 3-5, Keys fell behind 15-40 and faced two more match points, wiping both out with blistering forehand winners on the lines. A fifth match point came shortly after, and Keys got rid of that one as well before holding serve. 

Tennis: Australian Open Jan 20, 2026 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Madison Keys of United States in action against Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine in the first round of the womens singles at the Australian Open at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park. Melbourne Melbourne Park Victoria Australia, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMikexFreyx 20260119_rwe_zg6_1056

The deciding-set tie-break was again a stressful affair. Bondar raced to a 5-3 lead before Keys won four consecutive points to turn it to 7-5 and then closed out the last three points to seal the tiebreak 10-5 in a 2 hours and 58 minutes match. 

Keys now awaits the winner of Qinwen Zheng and Yulia Putintseva in the third round.

This is a developing story…

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