"Great term to descibe them" - Madison Keys approves Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina getting the 'Big-3' tag

American tennis star Madison Keys recently expressed her approval of the new 'Big-3' title being used to describe the current top female tennis players: Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina.

After her 7-5, 6-3 victory against Viktorija Golubic at Wimbledon, which marked her 350th WTA win, Madison Keys shared her thoughts on the current state of the women's game.

When asked about the terminology used to describe Swiatek, Sabalenka, and Rybakina, Madison Keys had a stellar answer.

"I think it's a deserved title. I think they are all phenomenal tennis players. They are obviously at the top of the game right now, so I think it's a great term to describe the three of them."

The term 'Big-3' has been used in the past to refer to the dominance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic in men's tennis. It's now being applied to Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina, who have been consistently producing stellar performances in the women's arena.

The distinction of 'Big-3' for Swiatek, Sabalenka, and Rybakina is a testament to their remarkable performances and conquests in recent times. Iga Swiatek holds the French Open title 2023 and the US Open title 2022, and has also triumphed at the Stuttgart Open 2023.

Aryna Sabalenka, on the other hand, is the reigning champion of the Australian Open 2023 and boasts of victories at the Adelaide International 1 2023, and the Madrid Open 2023.

Elena Rybakina currently holds the title of Wimbledon 2022 and has won the Indian Wells Masters 2023 and the Italian Open 2023.

Their collective successes have led to the trio currently holding all four Grand Slam titles, underlining their dominance in the sport.

Keys, who has been a professional tennis player for over half of her life, also reflected on her journey so far.

"I feel like I have played through a few different eras now, the tail end of some people, middle of other people, and then the start of others. Yeah, I just feel like I have played for a long time and been around and seen a lot of different faces."

Her next challenge at Wimbledon is to face Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk, who has been vocal about the ongoing situation in her home country. Keys acknowledged the global implications of the issue.

"It's obviously a travesty what's going on in Ukraine... I try to be supportive however I can," Keys stated.

Madison Keys marks triumphant return, advances to Wimbledon's third round for the first time since 2021

Madison Keys plays a backhand at Wimbledon 2023

In a resounding victory on Friday, Madison Keys, the 25th seed from the United States, has carved her path to the third round of Wimbledon. She emerged victorious over Swiss qualifier Viktorija Golubic with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph.

Positioned at 18 in the global ranking, Madison Keys will next cross racquets with Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine. The American tennis star has demonstrated remarkable consistency this season on the grass surface, pocketing seven consecutive matches, a streak that commenced with her victory in Eastbourne.

This achievement signifies the seventh instance in her nine main-draw entries at Wimbledon that Madison Keys has reached the third round. Her most distinguished performance at this esteemed Grand Slam dates back to 2015 when she made it to the quarterfinals.

Earlier at The Championships, Keys showcased her dominance over wildcard entry Sonay Kartal, defeating her 6-0, 6-3. Now, her sights are set on her third-round clash with Marta Kostyuk.

Kostyuk herself navigated to the third round of Wimbledon when her opponent, Paula Badosa of Spain, had to withdraw from their second-round encounter. At the time of Badosa's retirement, Kostyuk, who is 36th in world ranking, was leading the match with a score of 6-2, 1-0.