The tennis season has quickly shifted from clay to grass, with Madison Keys securing her first grass court season win at the Queen’s Club Championships as part of the 2025 grass-court campaign. Meanwhile, Taylor Fritz also began his grass-court play with a solid victory in Stuttgart, setting a positive tone for both American players early in the season.

Madison Keys Reflects on Historic Women’s Debut at Queen’s Club

For the first time since 1973, women are competing at the Queen’s Club Championships, a milestone that has brought added excitement to this year’s event. Madison Keys, entering as the number two seed, is viewed by many as a strong contender to become the first female champion at Queen’s in over five decades, a title last won by Olga Morozova in 1973.

After her opening round 6-3, 6-2 victory over Russian Anastasia Zakharova, Keys shared candid thoughts about playing at Queen’s for the first time as a woman. Previously, she admitted feeling envious of male players who had exclusive access to the tournament.

I’ve always been jealous because I’ve watched the guys play here and they always talk about how amazing it is to play at Queen’s, so being able to be here is absolutely amazing,

Keys said.

So happy that we have a women’s tournament here.

— Madison Keys, Tennis Player

Keys described the challenges of facing an opponent who had already acclimated to the grass surface after several matches, explaining that it took her a few games to settle in before finding her rhythm.

Feeling pretty good, always tough to play your first match on the grass, especially against someone who’s already played a few matches, but overall, pretty happy, and happy that I get another match here,

It’s not very often that I haven’t played someone these days, it’s a little challenging to play someone for the first time, especially on the grass when they’ve had matches, so the first couple of games I was just trying to find my footing, once I did, I feel like I played really well.

— Madison Keys, Tennis Player

The 28-year-old Australian Open champion emphasized her affinity for grass courts and expressed her ambition to add Queen’s Club to the list of tournaments where she has claimed a title.

I’ve always loved playing on the grass, and have won a few titles on it. I would love to be able to add this to the list, hopefully,

Keys stated.

Throughout her career, Keys has won three grass-court finals: the 2014 Eastbourne International, defeating Angelique Kerber; the 2016 Birmingham Classic against Barbora Strycova; and the 2023 Eastbourne International final over Daria Kasatkina. However, success at Wimbledon has eluded her so far, with the world number eight having never advanced past the quarterfinal stage in her ten previous appearances at SW19.

Keys aims to build momentum at Queen’s to improve her fortunes at Wimbledon this year. She is set to compete in the quarterfinals against either Katie Boulter or Diana Shnaider on June 13, with hopes high for a deep run in the tournament.

Taylor Fritz Opens Grass Season Confidently in Stuttgart

Across the Atlantic, Taylor Fritz also began his grass-court season in Stuttgart with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Quentin Halys, demonstrating strong serving and mental toughness throughout the match. Fritz reflected on how key moments, especially saving break points in the second set, defined his performance.

I think just coming out first game he served, I played a really good game to get a break, outside of that, nothing really changed the rest of the match,

Fritz said.

Both players performed well in service games, with Fritz highlighting his ability to hang on in crucial moments during the tiebreak.

I did a really good job hanging on and digging out a couple of my service points, and then it just came down to that one double fault.

— Taylor Fritz, Tennis Player

Fritz also shared a personal reflection on returning to Stuttgart, recalling his debut there in 2016 when he faced Roger Federer.

Everyone keeps reminding me that I played here in 2016, it makes me feel very old, but obviously it’s been a long time,

he remarked.

I’ve improved a lot, I still remember that match with Roger [Federer] so perfectly for it being so long ago, but I’m happy to be back.

— Taylor Fritz, Tennis Player

At just 27, Fritz is already a key figure in American tennis and will now prepare to face Marton Fucsovics in the Stuttgart quarterfinals on June 13.

The Importance of Early Grass-Court Success for the Upcoming Season

Madison Keys’s first grass court season win and Taylor Fritz’s strong start on grass represent promising signs for both players as they prepare for the ramp-up to Wimbledon, one of tennis’s most prestigious stages. For Keys, competing and winning at Queen’s Club holds added historical significance given the return of women’s competition to the tournament after decades.

Keys’s performance could mark a turning point in her quest for better results at Wimbledon, particularly as she seeks to move beyond previous limitations at the Grand Slam. Fritz’s confidence and solid serving in Stuttgart further reinforce his readiness to challenge top contenders in the grass-court swing.

With quarterfinal matches scheduled for June 13, both athletes will look to build on their early momentum and continue climbing in their respective draws. Their performances will be closely watched as indicators of how they might fare in the upcoming major tournaments on grass.