The youngest player in the field yesterday won her first appearance in a Grand Slam. Sixteen-year-old American Madison Keys beat 37-year-old Jill Craybas 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the U.S. Open.
Craybas, the second-oldest player in the draw, showed signs of her age, not being able to keep up with the energetic teenager who needed just over an hour to send her packing.
“This is my first time in the main draw here, and obviously it was a good first day,” Keys said. “Hopefully I have another good day [tomorrow].”
Before yesterday, her biggest win came in 2009 when she beat Serena Williams in a World Team Tennis match, 5-1.
The lowest-ranked player in the draw at No. 455, Keys started playing tennis after seeing Venus Williams fashion choices on TV.
“I was 4 and I walked through my parents bedroom,” Keys said. “I think they were watching Wimbledon and I decided I wanted Venus dress. They told me if I played tennis, they’d buy me a dress. I said, All right, Ill try it.”
