Madison Keys crashes out of Wimbledon in shocking defeat

Australian Open champion Madison Keys became the latest star to crash out of Wimbledon as the American sixth seed was stunned by Laura Siegemund on Friday.

Keys slumped to a 6-3, 6-3 loss against the German world number 104 in the third round on Court Two.

The 30-year-old is the fifth player among the top six seeds in the women’s draw to suffer a surprise exit from this year’s tournament.

Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini and Zheng Qinwen had already bowed out, though world number one Aryna Sabalenka is still alive.

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Keys, who beat Sabalenka to clinch her maiden Grand Slam crown in Melbourne in January, is yet to make it past the quarter-finals in 11 visits to the All England Club.

She made 31 unforced errors in a lacklustre display against Siegemund.

It was a miserable way to spend the fourth of July for Keys while her compatriots celebrated the Independence Day holiday back in the United States.

Siegemund, who beat former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in the second round, is through to the Wimbledon last 16 for the first time.

At 37, she is the oldest player left in the women’s tournament, with her best Grand Slam singles run coming when she made the French Open quarter-finals in 2020.

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“When you beat a great player like Madison you have to be really happy,” said Siegemund. “I managed to keep my nerve in the end. If you don’t have nerves in this moment you are probably dead.

“It was a big opportunity. You just take a deep breath and remember your strategy.

“All the girls on the tour are perfectionists. I’m the same but there was no pressure for me. I don’t feel like I need to prove anything anymore.”

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Iga Swiatek sails past Madison Keys to reach Madrid Open final

World number one Iga Swiatek cruised through to a second consecutive Madrid Open final with a straight sets 6-1, 6-3 victory over Madison Keys on Thursday.

Dominant on clay, Swiatek barely put a foot wrong, making just eight unforced errors in the match to leave the 29-year-old American with virtually no chance.

“I’m really happy that I had such a solid game today,” Swiatek said on court after reaching her 11th WTA 1000 final.

“Madison is an amazing player with a really fast game and a big serve, so I wanted to focus on myself and I’m happy I was focussed.”

The top seed, triumphant at Doha and Indian Wells, started in unforgiving form.

Iga Swiatek broke to love in the second game and dropped just three of the first 17 points.

Keys, seeded 18th, battled back to hold from 0-30 down for a 3-1 deficit, fighting to stay in the set.

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However last year’s Madrid runner-up broke again for a 5-1 lead and served it out to wrap up the first set in 31 minutes.

The clinical Iga Swiatek broke for a 2-1 lead in the second set with a superb passing shot and never relinquished her advantage, even though Madison Keys was more competitive.

The 22-year-old four-time Grand Slam winner broke once more to seal her victory when world number 20 Keys went long.

Later reigning champion and second seed Aryna Sabalenka faces Elena Rybakina in the second semi-final, ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Swiatek.

In the men’s quarter-finals of the ongoing Madrid Open, Daniil Medvedev plays Jiri Lehecka, aiming to join Andrey Rublev, Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final four.

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