... Venus and Serena Williams have been complimentary of Keys, and Wednesday was no exception.
“It’s good to see another American, another African-American, in the semifinals playing so well,” Serena said. “Regardless, there’s going to be an American in the finals, so that is great. It’s also great for me and Venus because we know that finally there’s other Americans that are constantly playing well and playing better, showing that they want to be the world’s greatest.”
Keys said she deeply appreciated the sisters’ support. Asked whether she saw the symbolism in a young African-American player facing the Williams sisters in consecutive Australian Open matches, Keys, whose mother, Christine, is white and whose father, Rick, is black, said that she did. But she added that she preferred not to identify herself with a specific race.
“It’s something that’s always there obviously, but I’m very much right in the middle,” she said. “I don’t really think of it. I don’t really identify myself as white or African-American. I’m just me. I’m Madison.” ..