Dramatic Comeback
In a match that captivated the crowd on Court 17, Madison Keys, seeded 22nd, staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Anna Bondar 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5) in the second round of the US Open. Keys, a former Australian Open champion, saved five match points, including two when Bondar double-faulted while serving for the match at 5-2 in the final set.[S1]
Keys, who hit 51 winners to Bondar's 17, credited the vocal support of the fans for helping her through the tense moments. 'I love you guys! That was something, no stress, we all knew I had it,' she joked after the match, adding that the atmosphere was the best she had ever played in.[S2]
Turning Point
After saving the initial match points, Keys won 11 consecutive points to take a 6-5 lead in the decider. Bondar, ranked 73rd, forced a tiebreaker, where Keys again fell behind but used her forehand to hit four consecutive winners and secure the win.[S1]
The victory marked the first time Keys had won after saving a match point at the US Open, and the first time on tour since her comeback against Eva Lys in Cincinnati last year. The match lasted two hours and 58 minutes.[S1][S2]
