Madison Keys weighs in on Serena Williams' iconic US Open outfit and reveals the Grand Slam's impact on fashion

Madison Keys is one of the countless admirers of legendary Serena Williams' on-court outfits. Keys recently recalled falling in love with the former player's 2004 US Open attire.

Williams, who retired in 2022, used to make headlines for her fashion sense as much as she did for her dominance on the tour. For the New York Major in 2004, the 23-time Grand Slam champion donned a denim skirt and a black tank top.

While interacting with Jessica Pegula, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Krawczyk on 'The Player’s Box' podcast, Madison Keys revealed that she wore a similar skirt to her practice. Keys was just nine years old at the time.

"I love US Open outfits. Historically, the US Open, in my opinion, that's where you get the iconic outfits. Like the Serena jean skirt, zip-up boots with the jacket. I went out, bought a Nike denim skirt, and I wore it to practice the next week. I absolutely did," she said (21:37).

"I still lived in Illinois. So I was under 10 years old. And I was like, 'I need that to go to my local tennis club and practice,'" Keys added.

Appearing on the talk show 'Hot Ones' last July, Serena Williams revealed that her 2004 US Open ensemble was inspired by compatriot Andre Agassi, who wore denim shorts at Flushing Meadows in 1989.

"This one's my favorite. One of the most iconic moments in tennis for me was when Andre Agassi wore jean shorts. I was like, 'How do we do that?' I said, 'I'll wear jeans on the court.' And they were like, 'No, we're gonna make it a fabric that actually works.' So that was a modern version of what Andre actually did. It was literally one of my favorite outfits ever," she said (via Yahoo News).

Despite taking the first set, Williams lost to fellow American Jennifer Capriati in the 2004 US Open quarterfinals.

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Madison Keys suffers a 1R upset at the 2025 US Open

Madison Keys at the 2025 US Open - Source: Getty

Home favorite Madison Keys faced a shocking first-round exit at the US Open on Monday, August 25. The sixth-seeded player lost 6-7(10), 7-6(3), 7-5 to unseeded Renata Zarazúa of Mexico in a match that lasted three hours and 10 minutes.

Speaking to the media after the match, Keys cited anxiety as the main reason for her defeat. She said (via WTA Tour):

"I was just, for the first time in a while, my nerves really got the better of me. And it kind of became a little bit paralyzing. I felt like I was just slow. I wasn't seeing things the way that I wanted to, which I feel like resulted in a lot of bad decisions and lazy footwork."

Keys, who turned pro in 2009, had the best start to her season this year, as she won the Adelaide International before securing her maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne. She beat Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final.