Madison Keys details 'tough battles' with Venus Williams, goals for 2026 season

Madison Keys reflected on her past matches with Venus Williams, as the two will face each other in an exhibition match next month. On3 recently caught up with the 30-year-old tennis star and asked her about battling Williams, who continues to compete at a high level at 45.

“It’ll be really fun. I’ve always really looked up to Venus,” Madison Keys told On3. “I’ve gotten to play her multiple times on the tour. We’ve had some really tough battles. She’s someone that I’ve looked up to forever.

“She was quite literally the reason that I started playing tennis. So, to be able to share the court with her all of these years, and just year after year see her playing and see her doing so well, she’s just continuing to be an inspiration. It’s really special. And to be able to just even be a small part of that and get to kind of share the court with her as many times as I have has been a huge honor.”

Keys will take on Venus Williams at the Charlotte Invitational on Dec. 4 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. During their time on tour, Keys and Williams faced each other six times, and Keys won four of those matches. The last time the two tennis champions battled was in August 2023, and Keys defeated Williams in straight sets in the opening round of the National Bank Open.

Madison Keys ready to take the next step in 2026

It’s not surprising that Keys said she looked up to Williams because Williams was an inspiration to many young tennis players. In her singles career, Williams won seven Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal. She was also a standout doubles player with her sister, Serena Williams, winning 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic Gold medals.

Keys is looking to be where Williams is in 15 years, and she seems to be on her way after winning the Australian Open to start the 2025 season. But what are the goals for Keys in 2026? “I think next season is really just trying to continue to build off of what I found this year, and just figure out ways of just managing, probably managing my energy a little bit better,” she said. “It’s a really long season, so being able to take a step back and realistically think about not expecting yourself to be perfect every single week, I think that was probably the tougher thing for me this season, is just expecting an incredible level every single day.”