Madison Keys is making a return to the court for the first time as the Australian Open champion, with the American taking on Indian Wells.
Keys has reached a career-high ranking of fifth on the WTA Tour, which comes despite no action since her Australian Open title.
Amanda Anisimova could rival Keys in future Grand Slams, but for now the latter is very much the American in form.
Keys stormed to her maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne last month, securing the trophy with a final win over Aryna Sabalenka.
The American, who lost the 2017 US Open final, also beat the likes of Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina en route.
Former professional Andrea Petkovic has now previewed Keys’s return to action at Indian Wells, with a word of warning sent to the American.
“I honestly think if she gets through the first two rounds, she will be very dangerous,” Petkovic said on Tennis Channel.
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“I do think for these type of players who hit the ball so hard in Indian Wells, the first two rounds are very difficult.
“The ball flies, and the thing that we all get wrong, all the professional tennis players in the world, you think you have to then decelerate, because the ball is flying, and you have to accelerate. And if she can figure that out in the first two rounds, she will be very dangerous at Indian Wells.”
Keys boasts a stunning 12 consecutive wins heading into Indian Wells, which gets underway later this week.
But the WTA 1000 hard-court tournament has undergone a major change for 2025, with Indian Wells changing its surface.
READ MORE: Two-time Grand Slam champion officially withdraws from Indian Wells with injury
The event has changed from Plexipave to Laykold, following in line with the likes of the US Open and Miami Open.
It remains to be seen, however, exactly how the conditions in the Californian desert will impact the surface.
Qualifying for Indian Wells has already started, while Swiatek heads into the main draw as the defending champion.
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