Madison Keys’ Opponent Shares Tearful Canadian Open Tribute After Personal Loss- “Hopefully He’s Watching”

America’s Madison Keys started the season with a bang, winning titles in Adelaide and then the big one at Melbourne. After winning the 2025 AO title, the 30-year-old tennis star said, “At the end of the day, I want to win every tournament that I’m in a draw of.” But surprisingly, she has failed to make it to the finals after that. Talking about her performances in the major events, Keys reached the QF at the French Open, but she failed miserably in Wimbledon (got knocked out in the third round). Following that setback, she was looking to make a strong comeback in the North American hard-court swing, but she failed to secure a spot in the SF of the 2025 Canadian Open.

Recently, she got knocked out of this tournament by the Danish star, Clara Tauson. Ranked 19th in the world, Tauson has already won a title (ASB Classics) this season, but at the Canadian Open, this Dane has looked like a completely different player. After defeating the 2025 Wimbledon champion, Iga Swiatek, by 7-6(1),6-3 in the R16, she has now taken down the 2025 AO champion in a similar fashion (6-1,6-4). A beating the Pole, Clara Tauson said, “I think I’m getting more confident in this kind of level and feeling like I belong here a bit more.”

Did this confidence from the previous game give Clara Tauson an extra push in this match? Well, in her post-match interview, with tears in her eyes, the 22-year-old revealed, “Still in shock. 2 days ago, my grandfather unfortunately passed away. So I really wanted to win for him today.” She further went on to add, “I’m definitely not done yet. I was told the day after I beat Iga (Swiatek). So yesterday, I really wanted to come out here and show my best tennis for him, and hopefully he’s watching.”

This was Clara Tauson’s second meeting with Madison Keys, and with this win, she has now taken her H2H record to 2-0 against the American. In this match, the Dane dominated right from the start and she converted three of six breakpoint opportunities while saving all three she faced against Keys. She’ll next face either Elina Svitolina or Naomi Osaka in her next match. 

Figuring out the secret to success for the ‘Giant Slayer’ Clara Tauson in Montreal

With her incredible victory against Iga Swiatek in the previous match, she not only managed to snap the Polish star’s nine-match winning streak but also became only the fifth player to beat both Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek in 2025. Talking about her secret to success, Clara Tasuon had then said, “I was playing good tennis in tough conditions here with the wind, but yeah, I really tried my best to keep my head cool and keep working, even though I got broken in the second set.“

Even in this match against Madison Keys, Tauson looked quite calm and composed throughout the match. Clara Tauson is now in her second WTA 1000 SF, and this is also her first in Montreal. Surely, her grandfather would’ve been proud of her performances in this tournament.

Just like her grandfather, Clara Tauson’s other family members, including her parents and even her uncle, have played a crucial role in her rapid rise. Born in 2002, Tauson was introduced to the sport at a very early age, thanks to her uncle, Michael Tauson, a former ATP pro who reached a career-high ranking of world number 101. Once during an interview in 2021, while talking about her deep connection with tennis, she said, “Tennis is the only sport I’ve ever played. My uncle, Michael Tauson, is a former ATP player, so everybody in the family has tried tennis. It’s been going on for generations.” 

Can Clara Tauson make her family prouder by lifting the title in Montreal? Share your thoughts in the comment box.