Madison Keys has begun her 15th U.S. Open appearance by putting last year's first-round exit behind her. The 22nd seed secured a straight-sets victory over unseeded Alina Korneeva on Tuesday, a win that carried added significance given her struggles at the tournament in recent years. Keys, who first competed in the U.S. Open in 2011 as a 16-year-old and reached the final in 2017, acknowledged the challenge of returning to a court where she experienced a significant setback.

"I think that today is obviously tough, because you go back on the court where you had a really tough loss and to go back out and play another first round, it’s always hard," Keys said after her match. "To have that kind of lingering memory is tough."

Keys has been open about managing nerves, particularly at Grand Slam tournaments. Last year, she committed 89 unforced errors in her opening match, a performance she has worked to move past. Despite the lingering sting of past losses, Keys focused on the present, showcasing moments of her characteristic powerful play, including a strong backhand winner that helped secure her victory.

"It’s just I think that in a lot of ways it’s been a huge blessing I started so young," Keys reflected on turning professional at a young age. "When I didn’t really even understand what was going on, so I was able to just kind of experience it in a really different way. But it’s definitely been, I think, the most interesting because I feel like as a person I’ve changed a lot throughout the years and kind of just evolved as a person while getting to kind of do the same job."

Keys, now 31, entered this year's U.S. Open as the No. 22 seed, a drop from her previous ranking of No. 6. Her journey in 2026 has seen her reach the Round of 16 at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the French Open, in addition to winning the Eastbourne Open. Her quest for a U.S. Open title, a significant absence on her resume, continues with this opening-round win, setting her up for a potential two-week run.

Madeleine Keys of the U.S. celebrates her victory over Russia’s Alina Korneeva during their women’s singles first round tennis match on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.