Keys had never even been to the final of a WTA event before this week, but things were definitely clicking from the get-go - she didn't lose a set in any of her first four matches, including straight set wins over the No.3 seed, Jelena Jankovic, and the defending champion, Elena Vesnina.
Needless to say, even though she was an underdog on paper going into the final with Kerber, she was confident. And that confidence shone through when it mattered most. The two split the first two sets and went into a holding pattern for most of the third set, until Keys showed some cracks in her 5-all service game, falling behind 0-30 - but she dug out of that one, and after missing three match points on Kerber's serve in the next game she finally closed the match out in an hour and 55 minutes, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.
Apart from converting on just two of 11 break points, Keys' numbers for the match were phenomenal: she outbalanced 48 unforced errors with a whopping 60 winners, 17 of which were aces. And she also showed her talents at the net, coming in early and often, and winning 14 of her 19 points up there.
"I'm just so incredibly happy," Keys jubilated after the match. "It's one of those things where when you're training and you don't want to be there, you're tired or everything hurts, you think of this moment, and it really helps push you through all of the hard times. I'm just incredibly happy right now." Keys was also asked how it felt to be on a trophy that has so many legendary names on it.
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