Madison Keys has chalked up her Australian Open quarter-final exit to a bad day at the office and says she's still happy with her start to the year.
The American had no answer to the strike-power of German Angelique Kerber, who swept into the final four with a 6-1 6-2 demolition job on Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday.
Seeded 17th and without dropping a set previously in the tournament, the US Open finalist had every reason to be confident but couldn't find a way into the match.
"I was having a difficult time finding a rhythm in that and then I wasn't moving, so then when I tried to be more aggressive, I just felt like things weren't 100 per cent today," Keys said.
"She played really well and I was trying different things but I wasn't playing very consistent so I wasn't very happy with how I played.
"Sometimes you just don't play very well out there."
It was another heavy loss in a major for Keys after her 6-3 6-0 defeat in the US Open final by Sloane Stephens.
But the 22-year-old felt she was learning with every experience.
Keys missed the 2017 Open after undergoing wrist surgery and has been the beacon among her female compatriots this year with 14 players from 18 out after the first round in Melbourne.
Despite the disappointment of bowing out, Keys said there were plenty of positives to take from the tournament.
Her crushing fourth-round win over world No.8 Caroline Garcia was the stand-out moment.
"Hhow I played all of the other matches definitely shows that I'm on the right path," Keys said.
"I'm not going to walk away from this tournament and think it was terrible because I had one bad match.
"I definitely think I have taken a lot of steps in the right direction and feel good about my game."
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