"There's a lot of partnerships that come from betting" - Madison Keys shares her thoughts on sports betting in tennis

Sports betting is a controversial topic in the world of sports, and the trend seems to have picked up steam over the last few years. However, it has it's detractors, and American tennis player Madison Keys gave her opinion on the role of gambling in tennis.

Keys is coming off winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open. The 30-year old defeated defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling final, etching her name in the history books in the process.

The World No.5 will return to the tennis courts for the first time after winning her Australian Open title at Indian Wells, where she has received a first round bye. During her press conference, the conversation shifted towards the role of sports betting in tennis.

"You've been vocal throughout your career about the pitfalls of social media on particularly the women players. A lot of that stems from gambling in sport. Is gambling good or bad for tennis these days?" asked a reporter.

"I don't think it's a black-and-white answer, just because I think it depends on who you're asking," replied Keys. "Obviously there's a lot of partnerships that come from betting. So at the end of the day a lot of the tournaments make a lot of money from the partnerships that they have with betting companies. That's what keeps us having jobs.
"So in that way, I can see where it's really beneficial… as far as the players on the receiving end of a lot of the betters being very angry, I would say it's obviously not my favorite thing. So I think it kind of just comes from which side are you looking at.
"I wish that there was a way to obviously have all of the great benefits that the tournaments get from it with a little bit more protection for the players who are on the receiving end of the betters who are losing money."