section_path: Rivalries/Keys vs. Stephens and Vandeweghe
section_name: Keys vs. Stephens and Vandeweghe
paragraph_text: Keys vs. Stephens and Vandeweghe
  
  Keys is close friends with Sloane Stephens and CoCo Vandeweghe, creating a friendly rivalry between the three of them. They have also been grouped together as the leaders of the next generation of American tennis. In particular with Stephens, Keys has said, "Sloane and I, since we were 12 and 14, have constantly been compared to each other." All three have been ranked in the top 10 by the WTA. Keys is 2–4 against Stephens, but is 3–0 against Vandeweghe.
  
  Keys has struggled against Stephens, often hitting more unforced errors than usual in their matches. These miscues have resulted from Stephens being able to counteract Keys's powerful groundstrokes while also supplying power to her own shots. Keys and Stephens first played in the first round at the 2015 Miami Open, which Stephens won in straight sets. They would not meet again until the 2017 US Open final in which both players were looking for their first career major singles title. Stephens defeated Keys in straight sets, which included taking the final eight games of the match. Their next meeting also came in the latter stages of a major, in the semifinals of the 2018 French Open, where they were both trying to reach their second major final. Stephens again won in straight sets. Keys finally recorded her first victory against Stephens in the quarterfinals at the 2019 Volvo Car Open, winning in three sets on the way to her first career clay-court title.
  
  Keys and Vandeweghe have similar playing styles, both using their height to generate power and hit fast serves. They had never met until the summer of 2017, when they faced off three times in a little more than a month. In their first meeting, Keys won the final at the Stanford Classic in straight sets to claim her third career title. They were then drawn against each other in the first round of the Cincinnati Open, the very next match for both players. Keys won again, this time in three sets. They next met in the semifinals of the US Open where they were both trying to reach their first career major singles final. Keys easily defeated Vandeweghe in straight sets, only losing three games.
  
  Keys is close friends with Sloane Stephens and CoCo Vandeweghe, creating a friendly rivalry between the three of them. They have also been grouped together as the leaders of the next generation of American tennis. In particular with Stephens, Keys has said, "Sloane and I, since we were 12 and 14, have constantly been compared to each other." All three have been ranked in the top 10 by the WTA. Keys is 2–4 against Stephens, but is 3–0 against Vandeweghe.
  
  Keys has struggled against Stephens, often hitting more unforced errors than usual in their matches. These miscues have resulted from Stephens being able to counteract Keys's powerful groundstrokes while also supplying power to her own shots. Keys and Stephens first played in the first round at the 2015 Miami Open, which Stephens won in straight sets. They would not meet again until the 2017 US Open final in which both players were looking for their first career major singles title. Stephens defeated Keys in straight sets, which included taking the final eight games of the match. Their next meeting also came in the latter stages of a major, in the semifinals of the 2018 French Open, where they were both trying to reach their second major final. Stephens again won in straight sets. Keys finally recorded her first victory against Stephens in the quarterfinals at the 2019 Volvo Car Open, winning in three sets on the way to her first career clay-court title.
  
  Keys and Vandeweghe have similar playing styles, both using their height to generate power and hit fast serves. They had never met until the summer of 2017, when they faced off three times in a little more than a month. In their first meeting, Keys won the final at the Stanford Classic in straight sets to claim her third career title. They were then drawn against each other in the first round of the Cincinnati Open, the very next match for both players. Keys won again, this time in three sets. They next met in the semifinals of the US Open where they were both trying to reach their first career major singles final. Keys easily defeated Vandeweghe in straight sets, only losing three games.