Keys Out-slugs, Out-hugs Vandeweghe in All-American WTA Stanford Final

American pals Madison Keys and CoCo Vandeweghe slugged it out in the Sunday final of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, Calif., then consoled each other by huggling it out on the sidelines, with Keys sitting in Vandeweghe’s lap.
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Keys was the victor after the smoke cleared in the huge-hitting confrontation, coming away with a 7-6(4), 6-4 victory and her first title on American soil.

“I just knew that if I kept hanging in on my service games, hopefully I would have a chance to break,” said Keys, who has turned around a difficult last 12 months that has included two wrist surgeries. “I felt really calm, and I didn’t feel any nerves until like 30-0 in the last game serving. I kind of went in with feeling no pressure, in a weird way.”

Both players took care of their serves well, with the lone break coming in the second set. Keys saved all three break points she faced in the match.

“When you’re playing CoCo, you have to step up, be aggressive and play your game,” Keys said. “If not, she’s equally as aggressive and if you’re going to give her an easy ball then she’s probably going to hit a winner.”

No games went to deuce in the second set as both players dominated on serve.

“I think it was a high quality match from both players,” Vandeweghe said. “It was a really tight two-set match, it was fun to play. It was fun to play a friend, to have an all-American final — it was enjoyable. Not so much enjoyable losing, but it was a high-quality match and that’s all you can ask for from yourself.”

Both players with the result will return to the Top 20 on the WTA rankings.

Keys improved to 3-3 in career finals, claiming a first title since last year’s grasscourt season. Vandeweghe fell to 2-2, also looking for her first title since last year’s grasscourt season.