Madison Keys speaks on admiration for Naomi Osaka and Ashleigh Barty

American tennis player Madison Keys is one of the most well-liked players on the WTA Tour, but she recently revealed that the two players she admires the most on the circuit are Naomi Osaka and Ashleigh Barty.

Osaka has been an outspoken activist for social equality and is a big advocate for mental health awareness, especially among athletes. This seems to resonate with Keys, who has spoken out on mental health issues herself.

"I'm gonna my say my top two right now are Ashleigh Barty and Naomi Osaka," Keys stated when asked which players she admired the most on Tour during an interview in Guadalajara.

Read also

2022 Miami Open WTA Entry List with Osaka, Sabalenka and Krejcikova (Final Update - 20-03)

Barty has finished the year as World No.1 for three consecutive seasons, and is a great ambassador for the sport. The Aussie faced Keys in the semifinals of the 2022 Australian Open, where she advanced with a 6-1 6-3 victory. Keys had a lot of praise for Barty after the match, stating there was not much she could do against the three-time Grand Slam champion.

"She's executing everything so well." admitted Keys. "She's serving incredibly well, so you don't get any free points on that. Her slice is coming in so much lower and deeper than it was in the past so it's hard to do anything on that. Then you try to play to her forehand and she can open you up."